Description

SJ 5441
8/54

WHITCHURCH URBAN C.P.
DODINGTON (south-west side)
No. 5

GV
II*

House. Probably mid-to late C16 with early C17 additions. Remodelled
in the early C18. Timber framed on brick plinth with painted brick
nogging, rendered to front. Slate roofs. Framing: rectangular panels,
3 and 4 from sole plate to wall plate. C17 stable with square panels, 2
from sole plate to wall plate. Front wall probably of closely-spaced
studs. L-plan. 3 framed bays and rear wing of 3 framed bays (one short
and 2 long), probably formerly an open hall, with a further addition of
one-bay at the end. 2 storeys over basement. Plinth, brick ridge stacks
off-centre to left and right, and brick ridge stack to rear wing.
Irregularly-placed wooden cross windows with wooden cills and painted
(imitation) lintels, 4 to first floor and 3 to ground floor. Complete
early C19 former shop-front to right with Tuscan pilasters, frieze and
moulded cornice, plate-glass window to right and reset early C18 oak door to
left with 6 raised and fielded panels and rectangular overlight. Side
passage to left has C16 nail-studded boarded door, with wrought-iron
strap hinges to rear. Rear: wooden cross windows. Glazed C18 flush stair tower
off-centre to right, with first-floor cross window and hipped eaves dormer
with 2-light wooden casement. Central probably C16 panelled oak door
with fluted frieze and linenfold panel in centre at top. Rear wing:
row of first-floor 2-light wooden casements beneath eaves, and row of
ground-floor slatted windows, probably dating from when the ground floor
was used as a smithy. Exposed beam ends of first floor above girding
beam. C17 former stable adjoining to left with stable door to right.
Interior: retains many fixtures and fittings of the C16, C17 and C18.
Some exposed framing in walls, including a tension brace in ground-floor
room. Left-hand ground-floor room has old fireplace with chamfered wooden
lintel. Early C18 dog-leg staircase at rear, rising 2 floors; with
winders, open string with cut brackets, column-on-vase balusters (2 per tread),
moulded ramped handrail with curved knees, and columnular newel posts.
Early C18 doors to first floor with 2 raised and fielded panels. Attic
with old boarded doors and evidence of 3 former dormers (now removed).
Collar and tie-beam end trusses with queen struts. Side passage to left
with open 2-bay ground-floor arcade to left consisting of chamfered posts
(the centre one on pad-stone), chamfered wall plate and chamfered arched
bracing. Rear wing: collar and cambered tie-beam trusses with queen
struts. Tie beams with rows of small rectangular mortices at base
(probably for former ceiling) and short chamfered arched braces with
notched lap joints. Evidence of former wind braces (see mortices in
purlins). Probably inserted first floor (see externally exposed beam ends
etc.) with chamfered beams. Large ground-floor fireplace to rear with
moulded wooden lintel and stepped brick firehood. This is a complete and
interesting survival of an urban building of the C16 or early C17. The
front range probably formerly consisted of a first-floor solar over a
ground floor partly or wholly occupied by a shop or other business premises,
and the rear range was probably formerly an open hall, with a first floor
inserted at some time in the C17. The ground floor of the rear range was
latterly used as a smithy, probably from the C19 onwards. The arcaded side
passage is unusual but has probably never formed part of the internal layout
of the front range, only forming a link from the street to the rear yard.
It would have initially been open to the side but was blocked by the building
of No. 7 Dodington (q.v.) to the side, sometime in the C17.

Listing NGR: SJ5426241330

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17540740

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

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  Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Somerset: South and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)