Description

SU 5149
6/2
16.5.66

OVERTON
CHURCH ROAD
Court Farmhouse

GV
II*

Farmhouse and courthouse to the Bishop of Winchester, now house, and attached
former outbuilding. 1st half C16; early C18; late C18, and early C19. Timber
frame with plastered wattle and daub infill, part replaced by brick infill,
entrance (south) elevation of red brick in header bond, otherwise mostly in
Flemish bond, with blue headers to left return. Some flint. Concrete tiles
to roof with clay tiles to attached former outbuildings. 2 storeys; partial
cellar to front range. Rear (north) range the former farmhouse of 3 bays,
comprising probably parlour, open hall (at centre) and services; the right bay
rebuilt as a bakehouse and store late C18; and a narrow ½-bay added at left end.
Projecting southwards from this range is the former courthouse wing. This was
separately framed, but the two ranges are linked, it was originally of 4 bays
with a cross-passage at north end. In the early C18 the southernmost bay was
truncated and the whole refronted, incorporating a 3 x 3 bay addition on the
east (right-hand) side. Linked to the west side of this range is a former
outbuilding of the late C18/early C19. Entrance elevation : of 5 symmetrical
bays. Plinth. Central pedimented bay projects slightly and has stuccoed
doorcase with a plain entablative, attached half-octagonal columns, architrave,
and half-glazed door with glazing bars. Late C20 replacement 12 -pane sashes,
on ground floor taller and with keyed gauged flat brick arches. Moulded eaves.
Hipped roof with tall external stack on left.Left return has 3 1st floor windows as
before and single-storey link to outbuilding, which is of 1½ storeys, 3 bays, and
has board door on left; 3 light window to centre; blocked window to right with
small window over. Stepped dentilled eaves; and gabled window rising from eaves on
left roof hipped on right. Rear (north range); timber frame exposed; with square panels
and various small-pane windows. Left bay is of header-bond brick with stepped dentilled
eaves, and projecting single-storey outbuilding roof hipped at left end. Stack
forward of ridge between left bays, and to rear of ridge at right end. Right
gable end has segmental-arched board door and window on ground floor; 3 windows on
1st floor, that at centre blind; and blind window above
Interior: rear (north range); timber frame has jowelled wall posts; large
arch braces; chamfered wall plates; studs; chamfered beams, at left end
with hollow stops; joists; floor boards and partition wall between left -
hand bays. C16 roof survives over left-hand bays, sooted over former
open hall, having collared queen post trusses with braces from tie-beams,
to principal rafters and queen struts rising from the collars; 2 tiers of
purlins and curved and reverse-curved wind-braces; old rafters. Right -hand
bay has queen-strut trusses, 2 tiers of butt purlins and old rafters. C18
doors; architraves, cupboards; raised and fielded panelling in ground-floor
left room; stair; with column-on-vase balasters and columnar newels with
ball finials to landing balustrade; and fireplace with 2 bread ovens in
right-hand bay. Front wing; the timber framing is more concealed, but on
ground floor at rear is original, chamfered, Tudor-arched doorway with
sunk spandrels and old board door; chamfered beams; and roof structure as
over rear range but with chamfered and stopped purlins. C18 features include
panelling; old doors, shutters and architraves; plaster cornices;
fireplaces; and fine stair with purlinated closed string, vase balusters on
tall plinths, fluted columnar newels, ramped and moulded handrail, and
panelled dado. The former outbuilding has brick floor; chamfered cross-beams
stair with stick balusters and polygonal finials, and open arch-braced roof
trusses.
See report by Mr E. Roberts, Hampshire Buildings Recording Group.

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17532724

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

• 
  Cumbria: Cumberland, Westmorland and Furness (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Period Property Manual (New Ed)
• 
  Suffolk: West: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Lancashire: Manchester and the South-East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Lancashire: Liverpool and the South-West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius (Penguin Art & Architecture)