Description

STOKENHAM
SX74SE Molescombe House
7/167
26.1.67
GV II

House. C17 or earlier origin, extended in C17 and remodelled partly rebuilt
in C18. Local slate rubble, right hand south end is slate hung. Asbestos
tile mansard roof with large natural slates over the end gables and with
sprocketed eaves with moulded wooden cornices. Short stone rubble gable end
and axial stacks with slate weathering, the axial stack with C20 brick
shaft. Tall stone rubble lateral stack at back with weathered cap.
Plan and development: 3-room plan main range with an entrance/stairhall
between the centre and right hand room. The right hand room has a lateral
stack at the back, the centre room is heated from an axial stack on its left
side and the lower left hand room was the kitchen heated from a gable end
stack. Behind the lower left end there is a 2-storey kitchen wing with a
large axial stack backing onto the main range and a smaller unheated room at
the end.
The rear wing is C17 and probably an addition to the main front range which
itself appears to be a substantial C18 remodelling, if not an entire
rebuilding of an earlier, possibly pre-C17, range, the traditional plan of
which has not been completely abandoned but which seems to have been
realigned on a slightly different axis. There might have been an
intermediate C17 phase on the rebuilding of the front range. The partition
has been recently removed which formerly provided an axial passage at the
back of the centre room connecting the lower left end room with the
stairhall. Apart from this, very few alterations have been made to the
house since the C18.
Exterior: 3 storeys. Asymmetrical 5-window west front, blocked to right
and left of centre on first and second floors. C18 or C19 16-pane sashes in
segmented stone with arch openings with slate sills, those on right are
tripartite sashes with margin lights; some of the windows have been
restored. Doorway to right of centre with round arch, semi-circular
gaslight with later baluster-type spokes and C18 fielded panel door.
Another doorway to left of centre with segmental stone arch and C20 French
casement.
Right hand (south) end is slate hung and has C18 or C19 16-pane sash on
ground and first floor and 12-pane sash on second floor, all with slate
sills.
At the rear the centre breaks forward in 2 stages, each with very tall C18
mullion-transom stair window with glazing bars. Lower 2 storey wing to
right with hipped slate roof and early created ridge tiles. 2 small windows
on end and side each have ovolo-moulded timber lintels with bar stops. C19
and C20 2 and 3-light casements with glazing bars. The right hand (north)
side of rear wing is plastered and has C19 and C20 casements with glazing
bars and doorway with plank door and glazed porch.
Interior: Rear wing: Kitchen has closely-spaced chamfered cross-beams with
bar stops, large fireplace with cambered dressed slate arch and C17 studded
plank door with scratch moulding, wrought-iron hinges and drop handle.
Former dairy has later thin chamfered beams. Roof space of rear wing is not
accessible but feet of straight principals are visible.
Main range: Kitchen at north end has large fireplace with large chamfered
slate-on-edge lintel and brick-lined bread-oven with stone surround on right
side and circular recess on left side which might have originally contained
a newel stair. Small central room (dining room now) has C18 chimneypiece,
imported early C19 grate and china cupboard with shaped shelves. Right
hand (drawing) room has early C18 moulded plaster ceiling with moulded
window panel with diamond-shape cresting, moulded cornice and vases of
flower in the corners; imported bolection moulded chimneypiece and flanking
china-cupboards with shaped shelves. C18 open-well staircase up to second
floor with moulded string, turned balusters and moulded handrail ramped up
to column newels and Chinese Chippendale balustrades across stair window.
Ground floor has fielded 6-panel doors and first and second floors have
almost complete set of C18 chimneypieces and 2-panel doors and 2-panel
cupboard doors some with hanging pegs inside. Most of the panelled window
shutters on the ground floor survive. The roof over the main range is of
mansard construction, its C18 principals have pegged halved joints and
saddles.
Note: Molescombe was the seat of the Wakehams in the C18.

Listing NGR: SX7825141885

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26401787

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

• 
  Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy
• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Buildings of England)
• 
  ENGLAND GUIDE TO POST WAR LISTED: A Guide to Post-war Listed Buildings
• 
  Sussex: West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  England's Post-War Listed Buildings