St Mary's Guildhall (Norman House) High Street, Lincoln

Image: © Jo and Steve Turner Taken: 13 Sep 2003

Grade I Listed and Scheduled Monument formerly known as John O'Gaunt's Stables. A domestic complex of the highest social status and possibly the town house of Henry II and if so the only survivor from the small group of the king's town houses which existed in several major towns. Dated to around 1157 it has a section of modern glass flooring showing part of the Roman 3rd century Foss Way incorporated in its foundations. It was used from 1251 to 1547 as the headquarters of the Great Guild of St Mary, Lincoln's most important guild. The Guild seems to have let out the north range for commercial use. Acquired by Lincoln Corporation in 1575, the Bluecoat School took over the lease 1614-23. Around this time major alterations were carried out including the ‘Norman House’ built in 1618 with possible conversion of the north range to stables that would perhaps account for the name ‘John of O’Gaunt’s Stables’. The north range was rebuilt around 1723 as a maltings with other parts such as the Norman House and the northern part of the west range also used in the process. It was upgraded between 1869-1891 probably by Robert Dawber and Co who were occupiers around 1865-1895. The south range is dated 1896 and was built for C C Sibthorp and occupied by S C Basker who built it using stone from 18th-century houses demolished to make way for the new Sibthorp Street. (The two demolished houses were built soon after 1723 by John Fawkes, a tallow chandler and lessee of St Marys Guildhall from about 1723-53). Lincoln City Council bought the south range in 1938 and it continued in commercial use until 1981 when the whole was leased by Lincoln Civic Trust. The Trust then carried out investigation and refurbishment work into 1986 for them to use as their headquarters. The south range was restored in 1984 by the Community Enterprise Agency for the Parochial Church Council of St Peter at Gowts and Lincoln Civic Trust. It was opened as St Peter at Gowts Hall on 16th June 1984 by Kenneth Carlisle MP.

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