Description

ASHLEWORTH FOSCOMBE LANE
SO 82 NW
2/1 Foscombe
II*
Country house: probably c1860, by and for T. Fulljames. Coursed
squared blue lias, ashlar dressings to windows and eaves, slate
roof, lead flat. Six-window front, 2 rooms deep, slightly
irregular plan; 2 storeys, attics and tower. Gothic revival house
of irregular outline. Ground floor windows generally with
relieving arches. Tower towards right end front: boarded door
with decorative iron hinges up a stone step: marble colonnette
each side, Tudor-arch, hoodmould. Chamfered corner to right,
slight set back, with single light window of trefoils on return.
Wall to right plain, set back part way along for chimney. To left
two 2-light mullion and transom windows, rounded trefoil tops,
carved roundel over, linked hoodmould. Slight set-back to left,
paired and triple lancets, opening to cellar below first. Boarded
door at left end replacing 2-light window, quatrefoil in square and
relieving arch over. Single-storey wing beyond demolished mid C20.
First floor, 2-light mullion and transom window in tower, circular
trefoil heads to lights, hoodmould over. To left inset canted bay
under relieving arch, 3-light mullion and transom, leaf carving
between heads, under half-hip roof, moulded stone eaves and verge,
carved heads below stone rainwater head on right, leaf carving to
large kneeler left. To left 2 and 3-light mullioned windows, each
under a half hip, stone boxes at bases for rainwater, dog and fox
head supporting centre one. To left second, shorter tower with
single-light window. Roof: tall pyramid on right return over
canted bay: hipped end, lead flat with decorative iron railing
extending behind tower: triangular dormer with trefoil window.
Tower: single-light window, string course, colonnettes above on
corners, with 3-light window, trefoils set back behind low arch,
plain ashlar above, leaf carving on top: string course,
crenellations at parapet, rising higher at corners. Chimney rises
against right side as buttress, 'T'-plan with carved cap. To left
decorative iron finials to half hips, lower ridge to left of inset
bay, alternate ridge tiles crested, well in roof behind. Chimney
to left of inset bay off ridge, 4 square flues, decorative cap: 3
octagonal flues off ridge against second tower: pyramid top,
triangular dormer, with 2-light ventilator in timber, quatrefoils
each light, further pyramid above. Right return, canted bay on
left, paired large pane sash windows, string course over; 2-light
window to right; end of stone conservatory, plinth, 1-3-1-lights,
circles through wall below sill with iron ventilators, small
crenellations to sill, trefoil head to each light, 2 circles over,
moulded string to parapet with turrets over king mullions. Hipped
slate roof, originally glazed gable and roof. First floor 3-light
window, shouldered heads, to bay, 2-light window to right. Moulded
eaves, higher for bay and over right window, with leaf decoration:
decorative ends to eaves between with leaf decoration to stone
rainwater head. Hipped roof, tall pyramid to canted bay with
triangular dormers, tall iron finial: railing to lead flat. Rear
projecting beyond conservatory.
Interior: all interior woodwork unpainted pine; shutters to many
windows. Main stairs, string with toothing to underside,
quatrefoils in plank to lower part, open above, moulded handrail,
carved, square newels. Stair rises to attics. Entrance hall to
left of stairs triangular stone fireplace, arched opening, stag in
roundel over: ceiling beams off heavy stone corbels, carved shields
and leaves: exposed joists. Four panel doors in heavy timber
surrounds, crenellated to head in stair hall, otherwise with jambs
rising above head. Drawing room to right of tower: stone
fireplace, marble corner columns, decorative plaster cornice,
French doors to conservatory, as from stair hall. To left of stair
hall good stone fireplace moved from first floor. Dining room
behind: buffet in recess to left, linen-fold panelling to doors,
timber surround, coved, panelled head, crenellated cornice,
panelling carried up to ceiling. Moulded timber cornice to room.
Stone fireplace, Gothic pilasters, 3 roundels in lintel: French
doors to conservatory in recess on left, balancing recess on right,
both as buffet. Two trefoil-arched stone fireplaces first floor, 4
panel doors. Queen post trusses with iron straps below lead flat.
Smoking room in top of tower, door to lead flat, corbelled external
stone steps to reach tower roof. House generally little altered.
(1887 sale catalogue, Gloucester Record Office; D. Verey,
Gloucestershire, the Vale and the Forest of Dean, 1970)

Listing NGR: SO8009126722

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Foscombe at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q17540935

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

• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair
• 
  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Yorkshire: York and the East Riding (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Derbyshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Staffordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Period Property Manual (New Ed)