Description

SO 37 NE; 8/168

HOPTON CASTLE C.P.,
HOPTON CASTLE,
Nos. 6 and 8

GV

II

Farmhouse, latterly divided into two cottages, now returned to one house.
Late C15, partly remodelled C17, extended mid-to late C19 with later additions
and alterations. Timber-framed, partly of cruck construction with rendered
and painted brick infill, encased or rebuilt in roughly coursed limestone
rubble to front and sides; machine-tile roofs. Original plan probably an
open-hall house of three cruck-framed bays, extended by two bays to right in early
to mid-Cl7 when gabled cross-wing projecting to front was also added; C19
addition to left. One storey and attic with cellar beneath cross wing.
Framing: exposed to rear of main range and to rear gable of cross wing:
square panels, three from cill to wall-plate with short straight tension brace
to left corner and v-struts from collar to gable. Irregular fenestration;
C19 range to left of cross-wing has C20 casement to ground floor with
contemporary gabled eaves dormer immediately to right, gable of cross-wing has one
C20 casement to each floor, including to cellar. Three small late C19 casements
alternating with doorways to main range (C20 half-glazed door to left and
C19 boarded door immediately to right of centre). C19 casements to
timber-framed gabled eaves dormers to left and centre with 2-light leaded casement
to prominent timber framed gable to right, which has v-struts from collar.
Entrance to range to left of cross-wing through C20 rubblestone lean-to porch
over half-glazed door in angle with cross-wing. Main range has external
end stack with red brick top to right with rubblestone lean-to behind housing
bread oven; C20 red brick stack immediately behind ridge to left. Cross-
wing has external lateral stack with red brick top to left and C19 range to
left has external end stack with red brick top.

INTERIOR. Main ground-
floor room of no. 8 has chamfered spine beam and heavy joists; inglenook fire-
place with chamfered wooden lintel to large stack to left. Deep-chamfered
spine beam to cross-wing, which has straight-flight staircase at junction with
C19 range to left. Oak winder staircase in angle between cross-wing and
main range with plank door to top. First floor has double-purlin roof with
two true cruck trusses, apparently resting on girding beams but possibly extending
to ground level, right with slightly cambered collar. Cross wing in two bays
has central collar and tie-beam truss with v-struts from collar. Partition
wall with vertical posts separates no. 8 from right part of main range (No.
6): no internal access between two parts. No. 6 has timber-framed cross wall
to left on ground floor with spine wall running at right-angles (both square
panels). Centre room has stone-flag floor and right room has tile floor
and C19 cast-iron cooking range in contemporary wooden fireplace surround;
bread oven to left. Two chamfered spine beams with stepped ogee stops. Oak
staircase to back wall is insertion as sawn-off joist ends are visible to
girding beam. Possibly C17 infilled 2-light wooden mullion window to back
wall. First floor has wide boarded oak floor boards and timber frame (square
panels) visible to back wall. Central queen-strut truss with upper and lower
collars. Late C20 flat-roofed addition to rear on left is not of special
architectural interest.

Listing NGR: SO3644278169

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26648579

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)
• 
  Building Small Projects (New Best of Fine Woodworking)
• 
  Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2
• 
  [(Cumberland and Westmorland)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1967)
• 
  Wiltshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)