The Masters House Tea Room dated 1659 is locate at 80 & 80a, Highgate in Kendal town centre.
The Grade II listed building was the gatehouse to The Sandes Hospital located in the yard behind.
The date 1659 is located beneath a shield that shows teasel bats and shears surrounded with a swag of cloth, and the initials T S K. The initials refer to Thomas and Katherine Sandes.
The Grade II description given by British Listed Buildings reads as follows;
"SD 5192 NW KENDAL HIGHGATE
(West side)
7/57 Nos 80 & 80A
24-4-57
G.V. II
Gatehouse to Hospital. 1659 date on (mid C19?) copy of panel, in frame over central passage arch, is incorrect; late C17 drawing (by Machel) shows date was 1663. Initials T.S., for Thomas Sandes (dealer in Kendal cottons and mayor 1647-48), were on the original but a K (for Katherine, his wife) has been added and the coat of arms (combining those of Sandes with the Shearman dyers') is an
embellishment.
Wet-dashed rubble; eaves cornice to taller, central block.
Graduated slate roofs; rendered mid and end chimneys. Symmetrical: 2 storeys, 5 bays (1:3:1). Central block has wide, semicircular-headed passage arch with single window to either side and 3 above; the wings have a single window to each floor. Ground floor windows are 3-light and 1st floor 4-light; all wood-mullioned with square-leaded panes. Plank door to either side in passage; on north side is an iron-lidded alms box, initialled T.S., set in a niche with 2
inscriptions above: REMEMBER THE POORE (sic) in low relief (C17) and Remember the Poor Widows, carved in Roman lettering (C18?). Interior not inspected;
R.C.H.M. (1936) reports initialled and dated decorative plaster panel (T. & K.S. 1661), part of scrollwork frieze, and some original panelling to 1st floor.
Listing NGR: SD5146492517" SOURCE: (
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Thomas Sandes (1606-81)was a cloth merchant and former Mayor of Kendal. He founded a school and eight almshouses for poor widows. The gatehouse was once the master’s house. It had single story wings and the school, known as the Blue Coat School, and a library were located in the chamber over the gateway.
The alms houses were rebuilt in 1852 by Kendal architect Miles Thompson. In 1886 the school merged with Kendal Grammar School which was succeeded in 1980 by Kirkbie Kendal School, whose trustees still own the property.
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