4.5.1 Aligned east to west the house comprises a west unit and an east unit that incorporates
the staircase between the two. Of brick, and of three storeys, it has a hipped roof of slate laid
in plain even courses with gable chimneys on both gable walls.
4.5.1 It can be clearly seen in the north and south elevations of the property that the east unit
is tied into the west unit thus post dating it. The west unit is made of unevenly fired handmade
bricks measuring 9¼ - 9½ inches x 4½ inches x 2½ -2⅞ inches laid two stretcher to one
header. The south elevation of the west unit has a ground floor door and window, and two
windows for the first and second floor. All the stone cills are of similar design to those on the
west elevation of the west wing of the penitentiary. Examination of the ground floor window
revealed that it had holes in the cill for iron bars, as found elsewhere in the prison buildings
indicating that the four light sash windows are later insertions. There is a stone parapet along
the eaves. This part of the house abuts the west elevation of the west wing, and so is later.
The west gable has a single ground floor opening, a square window with a red tile cill which is
likely to be a later insertion. As with the west gable, the north elevation of the west unit only
had a single opening, in this case a blocked ground floor door with stone jambs and a
triangular lintel, also of stone. Four gaps in the brickwork extending along the north elevation
suggest the presence of a former lean-to or pentice.
4.5.2 The east unit is made of bricks measuring 9½ inches x 4½ inches x 2½ inches laid in
Flemish bond. The south wall forms the north wall of the west wing of the penitentiary. The
north elevation has single windows with plain stone lintels and timber cills with sash windows
of four lights for the room of each floor. The central ground floor door has a stone lintel with
narrow arched windows above providing light for the central staircase. The staircase windows
have brick arches and timber cills and have three light windows. The east gable has a square
ground floor window with a plain stone lintel and timber cill. The first and second floor
windows are the same as those in the north elevation.
4.5.3 Internally the property has few early features. The west unit has an underground brick
culvert beneath the floor boards. The first floor Victorian fireplace survives. The roof is hipped
and of common rafter type comprising machine sawn softwood. As the roof spans both
phases it must date to when the east of the house was remodelled.
4.5.4 Essentially the house is of two phases, the first being the west unit that post dates the
west elevation of the west wing of the penitentiary with cartographic evidence suggesting that
it was built after 1841. The east unit most likely likely replaced, an earlier building and is
contemporary with the remodelling of the west wing that probably took place between 1841
and 1867. The bars in the cill of the west unit attest to it being a former prison building though
it was a dwelling by 1921. (1)

<1> Trent & Peak Archaeology, 2016, The Rainbow Depot, The Burgage, Southwell, Nottinghamshire: Historic Building Record (Unpublished document). SNT5202.