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History of the Diocesan Office

From Brewery to Rectory

The oldest section of the Guy Harlings complex, facing Chelmsford Cathedral, is a Grade II Listed building. It was built in about 1716-1721 by John Comyns, later a Baron of the Exchequer, on the site of a timber-framed Tudor town house. It is probable that old timbers, including the linen-fold panelling with its frieze of carved heads, may have been salvaged from the earlier house and re-used in the present building. The house was refronted by Dr John Badeley at the beginning of the 19th Century.

The name of the building dates from the 15th Century. In 1453, Guy Harling inherited from his father, John, a dwelling with an adjoining malthouse. He was frequently charged with breaching the local brewing by-laws between 1461 and 1470. Guy's widow, Joan, continued the brewing business after his death.

Later, the house became the Rectory for the parish of Chelmsford and was earmarked as a possible residence for the first Bishop of Chelmsford when the Diocese was created in 1914. However, Guy Harlings remained a parsonage until it was converted for use as the Diocesan Office in 1951. When part of the adjoining land was sold to provide the site for the new Crown Court, the sale proceeds helped to cover the cost of the extension on the north side of the original building and the Cathedral Office and meeting rooms at the rear. This work was completed in 1979. The whole building and grounds remain in the ownership of the Guy Harlings Trust, which permits their use for diocesan and cathedral purposes.

The Front Hall

Early in 1990 the Trustees approved a scheme for renovating the linenfold panelling which had deteriorated badly through Death Watch and Furniture Beetle.

After photographic recording, the panels and carved heads were carefully removed from the timber framework to which it had been fixed with wrought iron nails handmade by local craftsmen. Several coloured paintings were revealed on the reverse side of some panels and these were photographed. The panels and framework were chemically stripped of about twenty-two layers of paint and earlier attempts at repair with crude methods and various fillers were removed.

Where the panels and framework had been destroyed by beetles they were replaced with new panels of English Oak, carved to match the original designs.

The restored panelling with ite mixture of softwood and oak framework was coated with stain and coloured polish to provide a generally even darker oak colour similar to the original 16th century panels.

The total cost of the restoration was shared between two trust funds (Guy Harlings Trust and Menet Trust), together with grants generously given by Chelmsford Borough Council and Essex County Council for the repair of historic buildings.

The Icon

The Icon in the Front Hall was presented to the Guy Harlings Trustees by members of the Patriarchal Stavropegic Monastery of St John the Baptist, Tolleshunt Knights. It was dedicated by the Bishop of Chelmsford, in the presence of the Very Reverend Archimandrite Kyrill, on 31st March 1992.

Meeting Room

The Trustees completed another phase of restoration in 1996 when the Board Room and Dining Room on the ground floor, both in constant use for meetings and training sessions, were re-decorated in a style designed to enhance their architectural features.

The Garden

With its large expanse of lawn, the garden makes an ideal setting for outdoor functions for diocesan and Cathedral organisations. In summer, it becomes a focal point of the annual Cathedral Festival, with displays of sculpture and a marquee serving as the Festival Club

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