Description

ILSINGTON SIGFORD
SX 77 SE
7/127 Oxenham Farmnouse, including
- outbuilding at south-east end

- II

House, formerly a farmhouse. Probably late C17, remodelled late C18 or early C19.
Stone rubble, roughcast on north-west and south-west; south-east end of outbuilding
is largely of cob, some of it rebuilt in mid C20. House has slated roof, hipped at
each end, with brick chimneystack on each gable-wall; outbuilding is slated, with
hip at south-east end. Double-depth plan with wide central through-passage; winding
staircase at rear of passage. To, right of passage a large front room with smaller
room, possibly a former dairy, behind it. To left of it is one large room, believed
to nave been the kitchen; at some date this room has been divided into 3 sections,
and there are some quite substantial remains of studwork from one partition. 2
storeys with garret. Main front, facing south-west, is symmetrical; 3 windows wide
with centre doorway. Box-framed sash windows, slightly recessed, the sashes
themselves probably late C18 or early C19 replacements; each sash has 8 panes,
except for those in the centre second-storey window which have 6 panes. 6-panelled
late C18 or early C19 door with cast-iron knocker; contemporary wooden porch having
a flat moulded top supported by plain slender columns with square, unmoulded
capitals. Windows in north-east front are mostly C19 casements, but the 2 left-hand
windows in second storey are earlier, with slender wood mullions and rectangular
leaded panes; left window is of 3 lights, the other of 2 lights. Left-hand ground-
storey window is of 2 lights with slender, flat-splay wood mullions, cut back
externally to fit a C19 casement. No windows in gable-wall to road, but immediately
south-west of it, against the garden wall, is a low stone rubble mounting block of 3
steps. Gable-wall of outbuilding has 2 slit windows, that on south-west a mid C20
insertion.
Interior contains some good C17 fireplaces exposed in C20; they show considerable
signs of alteration, but seem to be in their original positions rather than being
made up of re-used material. The former kitchen has a large fireplace with
chamfered wood lintel having a scroll-stop at right-hand end; the fireplace has
been blocked on the left side and extended on the right, probably when the room was
subdivided. Beneath the rear window is an old, fixed wooden bench. Staircase has
old plank doors with wrought-iron strap-hinges on both floors, and there are several
other old plank doors on the upper floor. North-west front room has small fireplace
with ogee-moulded wood lintel having bar-stops; one jamb is of granite with a bold
threequarter-round moulding. The small fireplace in the south-east front room has
an identical jamb, but with a slightly curved, plain wood lintel. Roof-timbers
probably replaced in late C18 or early C19; collars pegged and nailed to faces of
principal rafters.
Upper storey of outbuilding has been converted into living accommodation. Ground
storey remains unaltered with earth floor; no sign of a central drain, or other
evidence to suggest this was ever a shippon. Owner says there are no old title
deeds remaining with the property.

Listing NGR: SX7758373741

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26551575

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

• 
  Liverpool: Pevsner City Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  [(Bedfordshire, Huntingdon and Peterborough)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1968)
• 
  England's Post-War Listed Buildings
• 
  Hampshire: South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Pevsner's Architectural Glossary (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)