Listed Building: CUPOLA HOUSE (467579)

BURY ST EDMUNDS TL8564SW THE TRAVERSE 639-1/14/635 No.7 07/08/52 Cupola House GV I Includes: Cupola House SKINNER STREET. House. C17, raised and altered in 1693 for Thomas Macro, apothecary. Timber-framed and rendered; plaintiled roof with a wide enriched wood modillion eaves cornice and bedmould with flower paterae in the soffit. 'Double pile' plan. EXTERIOR: 3 storeys, attics and cellars. 5 window range: 12-pane sashes in flush cased frames to both upper storeys. On the 2nd storey a central French window has a semicircular transom light with radiating glazing bars and opens on to a balcony supported by enriched console brackets; cast-iron railings with globe finials. The 1st storey is jettied. Both upper storeys have chamfered stucco quoins. Ornate weatherboarding in the apex of the south gable. The ground storey has 2 small-paned bow shop windows in Georgian style, with bracket supports and dentil cornices. They flank a central doorway with a wood doorcase having pilasters and a cornice. A 12-pane sash window in a flush cased frame on the extreme left and another door on the extreme right with a rectangular fanlight with vertical glazing bars. 3 dormers in the roof, all with cornices and pediments, the central segmental, with 2-light casement windows. A central octagonal domed lead-covered cupola rises above the ridge: this has a cornice which breaks forward over pilasters. Alternate faces have semicircular headed lights with glazing bars. Dome surmounted by a ball finial and weather vane bearing the date 1693 and initials T M S. 3 large red brick chimney-stacks have plain rectangular shafts. This is a 'double pile' house with a valley gutter running between the front and rear ranges. The rear elevation to Skinner Street, which is the same height as the front, has twin gables to the roof. 4 window range: all 12-paned sashes in flush cased frames. A 6-panel door with pilasters and an open pediment to the doorcase is approached by steps with iron handrails. INTERIOR: brick-lined cellars run below the whole building and a small section running below the street has a 2nd cellar below it, now disused. The ground and 1st storey rooms all have reproduction panelling in Baroque style, but in the rear 1st-storey room the corner fireplace has an original bolection-moulded surround. The 2nd storey retains much original panelling with bolection mouldings to fireplace and door surrounds and moulded wood and plaster cornices. The 3rd storey is plain and currently disused. The line of an earlier roof-slope, visible on the 3rd storey, indicates that the front range of the house, facing The Traverse, was originally only 2 storeys high and was raised to accommodate the cupola. The outstanding feature of the building is the open well stair, which is undoubtedly the finest of its period in the town, rising the full height of the house and leading to the cupola above the roof. Barley-sugar twist balusters, closed moulded strings and moulded handrails carrying an ornate console bracket beside each square newel-post. Hanging finials each have a carved floral motif on the soffit. A double balustrade at the landings. Panelled dadoes reflect the design of the handrails. The narrower winding top flight, with a number of missing balusters, leads to the octagonal cupola which has a panelled dado, a heavy moulded plaster cornice and a bench round all 7 of the closed sides. (BOE: Pevsner N: Radcliffe E: Suffolk: London: 1974-: 149). Listing NGR: TL8528464264