Glebe Farmhouse and privy, Lower Stanton St Quintin, Wiltshire

Summary

A farmhouse, late C16 or early C17, with later multi-phased rear range, re-fronted and altered in the late C18, with further alterations and extensions dating from the C19 and mid-to-late C20, including a C19 privy standing in the grounds to its south.

Description

MATERIALS: the farmhouse is built in stone rubble, painted to the front, with pitched clay tiled roofs (that to the front raised in the late C18), replacing thatch removed in 1966. The remainder of the roofs are covered in concrete tiles and Roman clay tiles. The house has stone rubble gable end stacks to the north and east, with later brick stacks to the attached rear wings.

PLAN: An L-shaped house with a long rear range attached, formerly comprising outbuildings (probably a cart-house and dairy), but converted for domestic use in 1978. Attached to the south are two later lean-tos comprising a conservatory and study, with single storey C19 kitchen wing attached to the rear north-east end. In the late C20 the courtyard to the rear east of the house was enclosed and covered in corrugated plastic sheeting.

EXTERIOR: The building has a two-storey three-window front of two-light unmoulded flush mullion windows with hood-moulds and a central door in beaded flush surround with a pediment on brackets.

The south garden elevation comprises the projecting blind gable end with later lean-to with to its right the single storey wing with attic, with later lean-to conservatory to the left, and timber casements and French doors throughout at attic floor level and five pitched dormers to the roof, all inserted as part of the 1978 domestic conversion.

The north elevation comprises the south gable end of the front which has a small off-centre sash window at first floor level. Attached to the left is the lower kitchen wing (also painted) with a timber replacement casement to the right. The north elevation of the long rear range, facing a courtyard (nearer the house partly enclosed and roofed over in the late C20), contains window and door openings with exposed timber lintels to the far right. The elevation to the former cart-house, formerly open, was closed as part of the 1978 conversion, with two circular windows inserted.

INTERIOR: The internal layout of the L-shaped house has survived mostly intact and retains a number of features including, at ground-floor level, heavy chamfered ceiling beams. The dining room to the left of the entrance hall contains a large inglenook with stone jambs and a heavy timber chamfered lintel. In the alcove to its right-hand side, the stonework to the lower part of the corner is slightly curved, suggesting this may have been the position of a newel stair, as also supported by the change in the orientation of the ceiling timbers above. The sitting room to the right also contains a large inglenook, but as suggested by its fabric and construction this was probably built in the 1970s as also claimed by the current owner. The entrance hall contains an early-C19 staircase with stick balusters and fluted newel post with ball finial. The bedrooms at first-floor level have timber ceiling beams with decorative scroll tops, one retaining an early-C19 fireplace. Surviving roof timbers to the front wing contain steep roof trusses indicating a late C16 or early C17 date. The wing was subsequently heightened to the front.

The rear range retains heavy chamfered ceiling beams at ground-floor level, a fragment of timber partitioning (probably of later date), and flag stone flooring in the current store room (near the front wing). Late C20 stairs give access to the converted attic, subdivided into bedrooms along a corridor to the north side. Along the corridor, in the north elevation, two early windows survive, possibly of C17 date. One with a central timber post, vertical iron grilles to the openings on either side, and broad planked timber shutters. The other is a two-light window, with horizontal iron grilles supporting a leaded glass window. The left-hand window is fixed with that to the right having two decorative cast iron catches with heart-shaped plates and circular handles, and partly surviving hook stay. The substantial coupled rafter roof to the rear wing survives mostly intact, though altered when dormers and roof lights were inserted in the late 1970s.

SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: In the garden to the rear, approximately 10m south-east of the house, stands a small privy, dating from the late C19. It is built in stone rubble with a pitched roof covered in tiles, a late C20 replacement. The timber seat and floor inside survive.

Pursuant to s.1 (5A) of the Planning (listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 (‘the Act’) it is declared that the 1970s garage attached to the east of Glebe Farmhouse and the garden walls are not of special architectural or historic interest.

History

From the early C13 the parish of Stanton St Quintin consisted of two separate villages - Stanton (later called Upper Stanton) and Nether Stanton. Nether Stanton, the site of tenant farmsteads and a nonconformist chapel, was later called Lower Stanton, before in 1989 the two villages were called Stanton St Quintin and Lower Stanton St Quintin.

The earliest record referring to Glebe Farm dates from 1624, stating that it was one of eight farmsteads in Lower Stanton. It is believed to be the oldest farmhouse in the village, with some claiming it may have been built in 1582.

In 1718 Glebe Farm, including the other farmsteads and ten cottages, were sold to the Bouverie estate, later owned by the Earl of Radnor, in which ownership it remained until 1909. The earliest map evidence for Glebe Farm is the Bouverie Estate Map of 1720, showing Glebe Farmhouse with an L-shaped footprint. It subsequently appeared on Andrews and Drury's map of Wiltshire of 1773 and on the Earl of Radnor's Estate Map of 1783. By then Glebe Farm had greatly increased in size.

In 1810 it was recorded that Glebe Farm was owned by J Smith and tenanted to William Lesseter. By 1834 it comprised c300 acres. In the late C19 and early C20 land in the parish was increasingly laid to grass. In the early C20 sheep farming declined and dairy farming increased. The first edition Ordnance Survey map, published in 1880, shows Glebe Farmhouse with an attached outbuilding to the rear, together forming an L-shaped footprint, with long barns and further outbuildings standing to the north-west, east and south-east, all arranged within four interconnected rectangular walled enclosures.

In 1919 Glebe Farm, of c230 acres, was bought by Edward West (d. 1942) who was succeeded by his son and daughter. In the late 1960s J West sold the farm, by then c205 acres, to Mr W E Hayward. At that time it covered c 205 acres. It was still in use as an arable and stock farm, but managed from Seagry. Glebe Farmhouse was bought by the current owner in 1986 and since then the outbuildings, converted into dwellings, have been in separate ownership.

Reasons for Listing

Glebe Farmhouse and its associated privy, Lower Stanton St. Quinton, Chippenham, Wiltshire are listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

ARCHITECTURAL INTEREST: as an interesting example of early vernacular architecture originating from the late C16 or early C17 with later phases, displaying a legible plan form, interesting use of materials and good quality architectural detailing and internal features;

HISTORIC INTEREST: as a poignant reminder of the rich agricultural history of the area;

LEVEL OF SURVIVAL: despite later alterations, the proportion of survival of the building is relatively high.

External Links

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