The barn, at the rear of No 7 (formerly Godot’s) Kingsbury Street is quite possibly Marlborough’s oldest building. Hidden from view and currently used as storage, there are plans to renovate it and turn it into an atmospheric dining space.
Simon Wetton, who owns the buildings together with brother Paul and their wives, told marlborough.news, “According to our archaeologist, the trusses are the give away that the barn is medieval. It survived the Great Fire of 1653 that destroyed No 7. There is now a fantastic opportunity to restore the barn to its former glory, allowing the building to be maintained in its entirety as a huge vaulted dining area. We have plans to restore the oak timbers and to put back as much as we can in keeping with the original design. It could create a pretty magnificent dining space with 120 covers.”
The foundations of the barn (comprising some very large stones) are thought to have come from the ruins of Marlborough Castle in the early fifteenth century. “There may be more exciting archaeological discoveries yet to be made when the site is fully excavated,” says Simon.
If the barn is medieval then it predates the Merchants House 1653 and is Marlborough’s oldest building.
In the meantime No 7, itself an historic seventeenth century building, rebuilt after being destroyed in the Great Fire, is continuing as a bar and restaurant. The building has seen many uses over the years. Once the town’s milking parlour it has also been a butchers in the early 1900’s and a dairy in the 60’s and 70’s.
No 7 is offering a free bottle of house wine for two with the “Set Menu” for lunch or dinner with this flyer. There are more offers available when the B & B rooms open.
Now Simon has turned the upstairs, together with No 8 next door, into an upmarket B & B. “We will be offering ten ensuite quirky and individual rooms with prices ranging from £75 to £125 for room and continental breakfast. These are due to open officially in the next few weeks.”
Simon also proposes to build a new restaurant kitchen below ground in what is now the garden of No 8, as well as creating a small outside eating area. All work, he hopes will be completed by the end of 2018.
No.7 and No.8
