The Wool House, Grade I listed building in Bugle Street, Southampton, England
The Wool House is a late 14th-century warehouse on Bugle Street featuring stone rubble walls, three massive buttresses on its west side, and a roof constructed with Spanish chestnut arched collar braces. Today it operates as a restaurant and microbrewery while maintaining its original stone construction that clearly shows its past as a storage building.
The building was constructed in the late 14th century to store wool for export to Italy. It was later repurposed as a prison for French soldiers during the Napoleonic Wars.
The space holds memories of Southampton's connection to maritime trade and remains a gathering spot for those interested in the port's heritage. The stone walls and crafted structure speak to how important the wool trade was to this city's development.
The building is easily accessible today and functions as a restaurant and microbrewery with seating both inside and outside. The stone walls can feel somewhat cool, especially in the back areas, so dressing appropriately for the temperature is a good idea.
French prisoners of war carved their names into the wooden roof beams, leaving permanent marks of their time held here. These scratched inscriptions are still visible today and tell a personal story beyond the building's original purpose.
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