Woodbourne House, Shepton Mallet, Somerset

Summary

A domestic dwelling of the late C18 or early C19, with late C19 or early C20 alterations.

Description

A house of late C18 or early C19 date with late C19 or early C20 alterations.

MATERIALS: the building is constructed of stone, with the north range faced in Ashlar and the south range a rougher dressed stone. There are casement windows with ovolo moulded stone mullions, and some with stone transoms. There are some cast-iron rainwater goods, with the rainwater hoppers to the north elevation embossed with fleur-de-lis.

PLAN: built on a roughly north-south orientation, aligned with the West Shepton Road, the building occupies a C-shaped plan, with north and south ranges extending out to the east. It is of two-storeys.

EXTERIOR: the north range has a pitched roof with an off-centre projecting gable with coped verges. The north elevation of this range forms the principal entrance front to the house and is comprised of two irregular bays. The left bay has a canted bay window with balustrade which occupies both storeys. Above this, within the projecting gable, is a tripartite window beneath a pediment. The projecting gable, and both gable ends, have stone ball finials.

The right bay has an elaborate classical doorcase to the ground floor, which includes a panelled door surrounded by a recessed elliptical arch, flanked on either side by single light openings with leaded stained glass windows and shell mouldings above. Above the door and windows there is a dentil cornice and moulded frieze. The doorcase is capped by a blank domed panel with scrolled strapwork to either side. There is a mullion window above to the first floor.

The south range has a pitched roof, with a stack to each gable end. The south elevation is of two bays and is constructed of dressed stone terminating in quoins to either side. The left bay has a broad canted bay window to the ground floor, with clay tiles above, and a stone mullioned window to the first floor. The right bay has stone mullioned windows to each floor. To the east of this elevation is a single storey lean-to with a pitched roof. Extending east from the lean-to is a greenhouse, built on brick foundations with glazing above, and a glazed roof. The west elevation has been rendered and has a central mullioned window to the first floor.

INTERIOR: the main entrance in the north range gives access to a polychromatic tiled entrance hallway, with an L-shaped staircase which has a moulded newel post capped with a ball finial and a decorative balustrade. Newel posts at the top of the staircase continue up to the ceiling to form a canopy beneath a glazed lantern, which has some stained glass.

There are six-panelled doors throughout. The first doorway to the east gives access to a drawing room. This room has a moulded cornice with a picture rail beneath. On the south wall there is a fireplace with a timber chimneypiece, and a tiled surround and hearth. There are brass servant bells to either side. The passageway leads under the stair to the southern range. This range has another drawing room with parquet floor, and a kitchen which also gives access to a utility room and pantry. This range is generally more modest in terms of fittings.

The first floor has a bathroom and three bedrooms, which retain some joinery, and the bedroom to the north has a tiled cast-iron fireplace. There are a further two rooms in the attic space.

History

Woodbourne House was constructed in the late-C18 or early-C19 and is present on the earliest map available at this stage, a tithe map from around 1840, and appears to occupy largely the same footprint as present.

Map regression suggests that the southern range was extended slightly to the east between publication of the 1888 and 1903 Ordnance Survey maps, with a single-storey lean-to and greenhouse currently occupying this area. The bay window was potentially added to the north façade at this time, with the bay window to the southern façade possibly replacing an earlier porch and entrance.

Reasons for Listing

Woodbourne House, Shepton Mallet, a late C18 or early C19 dwelling, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

Architectural interest:

* Woodbourne House is an assured design with well-articulated detailing: the doorcase, entrance hall and stair and lantern form a particularly impressive set of features;

* it retains a significant amount of pre-1850 fabric and the later alterations are of a high standard and demonstrate the evolution of the dwelling over time.

Group value:

* the building has a strong relationship with several Grade II Listed buildings in the vicinity.

External Links

Historic England Listing

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