History

Late C16-C17. The central part of the house is the oldest with outer wings added in the C17. The former had an end chimney, the front entrance probably leading to a cross-passage with hall to R and service rooms to L, but the partition to the L-hand side is now missing. The W wing has some fine features including a garderobe, an early example of an internal privy. The roof structure is said to include windbraces. The E wing is a now a farm range, but it had a floor which suggested it was once a dwelling, perhaps a dower-house.

Exterior

Large U-plan house with 2-storey 3-window central range and higher wings projecting to front. W wing is 4-storey including basement and attics; 2-storey E wing, now used as a farm building. Constructed of dressed random stone, including very large blocks to the lower walls of central range, and large quoins to wings. Slate roofs and stone stacks: massive projecting lateral stack to W side of W wing, end stack to rear of W wing and ridge stack to R of central range. The windows are mainly 2-light wooden casements with small panes, under timber lintels. Rear elevation is cut into the hillside.

Central range has doorway L of centre with segmental pointed head of narrow voussoirs and monolithic jambs; boarded door with small light. Two-light casement to R of doorway, 6-pane window to L, both with slate sills and timber lintels. Three 2-light casements to upper storey rising to eaves. Rear of range has a small 4-pane window to R of upper storey.

Front of W wing has basement doorway to L of centre; split doors with small light and crooked timber lintel. To its R is part of a former stone-framed window blocked with stone. The ground and 1st floors each have a central casement with renewed timber lintel. Smaller casement to attic, slightly inset. E side of W wing has a casement to each storey, both in narrowed openings. To W side, in angle with projecting lateral stack, is a 1st floor garderobe, of stone with slate rooflet and hole to base. To L of stack is a rendered lean-to against kitchen. The rear gable end has 2 x 2-light wooden stairlights, each with an ovolo-moulded mullion, offset to L of centre. Below is a 4-pane window. To centre of ground floor is a C20 casement lighting the kitchen. Wide casement lighting attic, slightly L of centre.

Front of E wing has a central doorway containing split doors, which appears to replace a former window opening, which was slightly higher. C20 2-light casement above doorway, some panes missing; string course beneath window. No openings to W side of E wing. E side has renewed masonry to L with wide opening. To R of centre is a slightly raised doorway, with loft hatch to far R, beneath which are butt joints, possibly relating to a former external staircase. The rear gable end of the E wing is slightly advanced; it has garage doors with a loft hatch above.

Interior

The central part of the house formerly had a passageway inside the front entrance. The partition is now missing, but there is a timber ceiling beam with sockets and an arched door-head to the far end. There were 2 service rooms, a spine beam marking the position of the dividing partition. The ceiling has stop-chamfered joists. Box-framing to W wall; basement stairs to SW corner with tile treads. Inside front entrance, plastered wall to R with doorway to hall. This has a stone fireplace with large chamfered timber lintel. To its R is a small recessed cupboard, the wooden door with a carved rose. The ceiling has chamfered spine- and cross- beams and stop-chamfered joists.

Parlour to front of W wing with C17 wooden panelling to rear wall; ceiling has 2 large chamfered cross-beams with ogee stops. Wide stone fireplace with narrow chamfered timber lintel; window seats. The kitchen is now to the rear of the W wing; the ceiling has a deeply chamfered spine beam with ogee stops and plain joists. Box-framed partition to E with planked door leading to short passage to staircase, which is to rear. C17 plain dog-leg staircase with wide oak treads; later wooden gates to base of stairs. The kitchen was previously in the basement, reached from the central range or outside. Stone steps lead down from the latter to a flagstone floor. Very large fireplace with timber lintel to W side, a bake-oven inserted under part of it. The ceiling has 2 large cross-beams and plain joists. Interior of E wing has box-framed partitions. The front previously contained stables, with fittings for hayracks against N wall.

Reasons for Listing

Listed grade II* as a large regional house of exceptional character which exhibits the development of such houses from the late C16, when it was a small 2-unit house with cross-passage, to the C17 when it was much enlarged. It retains fine features and detail, both to the interior and exterior.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q17744499

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

• 
  Department for Communities Listed Historic Buildings of Northern Ireland: Information Guide for the 2nd Survey of Historic Buildings
• 
  London 1: The City of London: City of London v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Worcestershire Revised Edition (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Huddersfield in 50 Buildings
• 
  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides): Written by Charles O'Brien, 2014 Edition, Publisher: Yale University Press [Hardcover]