Description

BINFIELD

SU86NW MURRELL HILL LANE
674-1/14/77 (North East side)
07/12/66 Popes Manor

GV II

Formerly known as: Popes House MURRELHILL LANE.
Large country house in landscaped surrounds, now offices. Late
C17 and early C18, altered and extended late C19. Altered and
restored 1983-84.
MATERIALS: Red brick in Flemish bond; tiled, hipped and gabled
roofs of different heights.
PLAN: formerly rectangular plan, later extended on north, east
and south.
EXTERIOR: part 3 storeys and cellar, part 2 storeys and
attics. Several chimneys with offset heads and tall clay pots.
Sash windows, mostly with glazing bars. Entrance (south-west)
front: oldest part of house; formerly symmetrical. Projecting,
weathered plinth. String courses at first and second floor
window heads. Parapet over cornice band. Gauged, segmental
brick arches to segment headed sash windows with glazing bars,
in near flush architrave frames. 5-bays to main section.
Entrance in centre bay of C19 outer double door of 8 fielded
panels in Tuscan doorcase with swan-neck pediment and central
shell ornament, approached by 3 steps. On right, blank end of
C19 re-fronting of south-east front. On left late C19
extension of 2 storeys with attics, of 5 irregular bays in
similar style. Projecting from this and at right angles to it
is late C19, single storey wing containing former billiards
room: hipped gables on west and south: sash windows.
INTERIOR: window shutters in oldest section are mostly
complete, panelled and enriched with leaf ornament. Reception
area: C18 dog-leg staircase with column-on-vase balusters and
moulded, wreathed handrail; string closed by later partition.
Panelled walls, part C18, part C20 replacements. Moulded
ceiling cornice. Fireplace with egg-and-dart enrichment on
plain, eared surround. Engineers office: ceiling with moulded
cornice, scroll and leaf enrichment with paterae at intervals.
Marble fireplace with colonnettes and marble shelf. Architects
office: moulded ceiling cornice with acanthus and anthemion
leaf enrichment. Black and white marble chimneypiece with
swags and cherubs in frieze; moulded cornice. Doorcase with
moulded architrave enriched with bead and leaf ornament;
frieze with garlands and urn; dentilled, moulded cornice.
Managing Director's ofice: cast-iron fire hob and grate in
plain marble surround in frame enriched with egg-and-dart and
bead and reel ornament. Moulded wood shelf. Second managing
directors office: cast-iron fire hob and grate in plain marble
surround; frieze with garlands. Former billiards room: exposed
C19 roof of 3 bays. Moulded archbraced truss with drop finials
on moulded brackets and cornice; 2 circular roof lights. King
post truss to hipped bay on south. Fireplace on east wall with
panelled overmantel, pedimented with heraldic arms, leaf
ornament and inscription which reads `Timor omnis abesto'.
HISTORY: the house is said to be the boyhood home of Alexander
Pope.
(The Buildings of England: Pevsner N: Berkshire:
Harmondsworth: 1966-: 88).

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26669688

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

• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of Historic Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
• 
  For the Record
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair by Hunt. Roger ( 2008 ) Hardcover
• 
  Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy
• 
  Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Staffordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)