WORK is about to start on one of Dorchester’s most historic buildings – just days after town councillors expressed concern about the future of the property.

They say that the Judge Jefferys building on High West Street has been falling into a state and were worried it could be damaged beyond repair. It was last used by a Turkish restaurant almost a year ago and has been empty ever since.

Town council planning committee chair Robin Potter had been tasked to request that Dorset Council investigate the state of the building and see what could be done to protect it.

Now Jan Merriott from agents Symonds and Sampson has confirmed that it has an agreement to let it, although is unable to say who will take it on.

“We do have an agreement to let it although it will be a while before it opens, ideally to coincide with the Museum opening,” she said.

“Works are starting now under our building surveyor.”

Scaffolding has been put up outside the building in recent days.

She said that because of the building’s listed status and contractual arrangements with the previous users it had taken some time to agree the schedule of works with Dorset Council officers.

Town planning chairman Cllr Potter says the distinctive black and white timbered building is listed as being of architectural and historic importance and is an iconic feature in the town centre.

Said Cllr Fiona Kent-Ledger: “It is going to require an awful lot of love and attention.”

Cllr Molly Rennie she said that from the outside the building did not look too bad – but claimed damage was happening inside.

A newspaper report from 2005 quotes the owners of the building as saying it then needed a £2.5million facelift.

Judge Jeffreys used the building as his lodgings when he came to Dorchester to deal with those who had rebelled against the King in the Monmouth uprising.

The Bloody Assizes, as they became known, resulted in 251 death sentences, 74 of which were carried out with the condemned men hung, drawn and quartered, and their heads then displayed on spikes in Dorchester and other towns around Dorset as a deterrent to others.

It is believed that the façade of the building may be a ‘Victorian fake’ added to a much older building.