Description

LECKHAMPTON CHURCH ROAD
SO 9-1 NW
(south side)
4/117 Leckhampton Court with
wall and gate piers

4.7.60

II*

Manor house now a hospice. C14 home of the Giffards, extended C16
and C18, partly rebuilt late C19 by R. A. Prothero, extensive
restoration 1977-1981. Ashlar and coursed squared and dressed
limestone; close-studded timber framing; stone slate roof;
ashlar and brick stacks, some C20. The buildings are arranged to
form a 3-sided courtyard with a wall on the fourth side. Two
storeys and attic. C14 east range with a projecting central
porch; C16 extension rear right. C14 gabled 2-storey porch with
diagonal buttresses central C20 part-glazed door reached via a
flight of segmental steps moved from the entrance to the courtyard,
within a moulded Tudor-arched surround with a moulded hood with
square stops; C17-early C18 stone-mullioned cross window with
lugged architrave inserted at first floor level; small blocked
splayed window to the right-hand return; battlemented parapet with
string which acts as a hood over the cross-mullioned window;
scratch sundial above the dripmould; battlemented parapet
continued along the eaves of the C14 range. Corridor either side
of the porch. The corridor to the left of the porch appears to be
C19 and is lit by 3-light stone-mullioned windows with transoms;
the corridor to the right of the porch appears to be C20 in date
and is lit by 2-light stone-mullioned windows with Tudor-arched
surrounds; projecting porch with a double part-glazed door far
right; battlemented parapets to both corridors. C16 range at
rear has early studded plank door within a moulded 4-centred arched
surround with the date 15 / 82, carved in the spandrels; initials
'I / B' flanking a fleur-de-lys above the door. The door is
entered at first floor level from a terrace at this point.
Buttressed C16 range runs forwards from the right-hand -end of the
C14 range: close-studded timber framing with passing braces to the
first floor of the side facing the courtyard; two C20 plank doors
one with a flat-chamfered surround one within a Tudor-arched
surround and one blocked doorway to the ground floor; 3 tall
Tudor-arched cross-mullioned windows, probably C19, spanning both
floors with roll-moulded mullions. Two, 3 and 4-light windows,
created by the removal of the rendered infill between the studding.
Buttressed gable end with a 2-light stone-mullioned casement with a
moulded hood within a blocked doorway; 3-light.casement with
round-headed lights and hollow-chamfered mullions. C20 casements
and sashes to the rear. Late C18 range at right angles to gable
end. C19 range runs forwards from the left end. of the C14 range
and is lit by stone-mullioned casements with 4-centred arched
heads. The most striking features of this range are the 2-storey
flat-roofed canted bay windows. Buttressed C16 range at the gable
end of the C19 range with early studded plank door within a partly
moulded Tudor-arched surround, carved spandrels and a moulded hood
with diamond stops opening into the courtyard; two 3-light stone-
mullioned windows with Tudor-arched heads to the first floor with
hoods with diamond stops; two C20 two-light roof dormers.
Blocked doorway to the gable end, with a restored 3-light hollow-
chamfered stone-mullioned casement inserted within the blocking;
similar stone-mullioned casements above; small reused C15 carved
angel holding a shield between the floors; 2-light double-
chamfered stone-mullioned casement to the attic. The principal
features of the rear wall are a 5-light canted oriel window, a C19
studded plank door within a hollow-chamfered Tudor-arched surround
with a hood with diamond stops, and a projecting stack with one
octagonal and one twisted rubbed brick stack. Stepped gable end
coping with roll-cross saddles. Axial, off-the-ridge and
projecting lateral stacks. An ashlar wall c2m in height encloses
the courtyard on the west side. Pair of gate piers off-centre
left with moulded cappings and ball finials.
Interior: C14 cross-mullioned windows with quatrefoils on the west
side of the former hall, now concealed by the C19 corridor. The
roof of the timber-framed range retains some windbracing and a
single arch-braced roof truss, the roof having been largely
reconstructed C20. The stone-built C16 range contains a Tudor
arched fireplace the lintel of which projects out slightly from the
wall. The C19 range contains two ornate fireplaces one C17 in
style with strapwork. 'S'-curve dragon motifs and the initials
'J.H' (John Hargreaves), the other fireplace has eclectic
decoration and fluted columns. The house passed by marriage from
the Giffard family to the Norwood family, several of whom are
commemorated in the nearby Church of St Peter (q.v.). The last
Norwood died at the end of the C18 and the manor thence passed to
the Trye family of Hardwicke. From c1879 the house was occupied
by John Hargreaves who built the C19 range for the reception of
his friend Edward VII who as Prince of Wales was a regular visitor.
(David Verey, The Buildings of England: The Vale and the Forest of
Dean: Engraving of c1712 by Kip in Atkyn's History of
Gloucestershire: Article on the C20 restoration in The Architects
Journal 17/3/1982. E. Andrew and E. Brewin: Leckhampton through
[the Ages, 1984.]

Listing NGR: SO9449919338

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Leckhampton Court With Wall And Gate Piers at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q17535310

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

• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair
• 
  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Setting up a Listed Building Heritage Partnership Agreement: Historic England Advice Note 5
• 
  Gwent/Monmouthshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Wales)
• 
  Worcestershire Revised Edition (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Cambridgeshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)