Description

SD 94 SE
5/35
10.9.54

COWLING
CARR HEAD ROAD
Carr Head Hall
(formerly listed as Carr Head)

GV
II*

Mansion, probably mid C18 enlarged later C18, then refurbished 1851 and slightly
altered early C20. Hammer dressed stone and hipped slate roof, with some ashlar
work. Two storeys. The oldest part appears to be the south front, now the garden
front, of 5 bays. This has a plinth and plat band, cornice and rusticated quoins.
The tall windows have architraves and are sashed with all glazing bars. The central
doorway has a Doric doorcase with pilasters, pediment, and rosettes between
triglyphs. The east front is of 5 bays and is similarly detailed except that the
windows have plain stone surrounds, and the central 3 bays are canted out. The north
front, probably early C20, has blocked surrounds to the windows and a Doric porch,
distyle in antis.
Inside 3 periods may be distinguished. To the later C18 probably belong the former
hall, with doors in the style of Adam, and the central staircase, which has a small
domed skylight decorated with husks. The cantilevered stone stair has an ornamental
iron balustrade. The remaining rooms of the ground floor have simple classical
decoration probably dating from 1851. On the first floor all 3 rooms of the south
front retain lavish decoration from the first build. The central lobby has a small
but rich plaster ceiling in the style of the 1730s above an Ionic modillion cornice.
This has an eagle in central roundel and a cove decorated with Roman busts, cherubs,
trumpets and palm leaves. The south-east bedroom has a cornice supported by 2
Corinthian pilasters either side of the chimneypiece, which has a scrolled and eared
overmantel with an overhanging garland. The south-west bedroom has a similar
arrangement, but the detail is Doric, with bucrania in the frieze. The overmantel is
shouldered, flanked by husks and surmounted by a shell which harbours another ox
skull.
The house thus preserves in part a small mansion of mid C18 of considerable interest.

Listing NGR: SD9750644282

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Carr Head Hall at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q17534933

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

• 
  Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2
• 
  England's Post-War Listed Buildings
• 
  Building Small Projects (New Best of Fine Woodworking)
• 
  Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Oxfordshire: North and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)