History

The house is of three main dates. The earliest part, which stands hard against the lane, is late mediaeval and comprises the remains of an open hall. It is probably 16th-century and has probably lost a lateral chimney. The geographically lower end of this was rebuilt with a fine L-shaped range dated 1650 and inscribed with the initials of William Watkins, a Parliamentary soldier. The further end of this range had a large and handsome building added in the early C18 with fine and well-finished rooms. It is approximately contemporary with the stable opposite, formerly dated 1707 and is said to have once had a stone slate roof; its front was given sash windows in the early C19. More recently elements from the staircase of 1650 have been taken to Sheephouse, an upper floor removed from the mediaeval hall, and an inserted staircase taken out of the 1650 range.

Exterior

Mediaeval hall: stone rubble, asbestos slate. E wall largely removed, sliding doors instead; S has timber-framed gable; W, C19 & C20 misc glazing including casements; C19 lean-to against S end, stone, slate roof.

1650 range: stone, slate roof, 2 storeys, cellars & attics. E, good moulded wooden doorframe, shaped head carved '1650 WW', cornice & shaped brackets, panelled & nail-studded door. Original wooden window over, 3-light, heavily moulded cornice, gable with 3 carved pendant finials. Gable-end, chimney original, later brick top; 3 original windows, casements, 2 with stone labels, 1 blocked; 1 enlarged C20, 3-light. N, central gable, moulded bargeboards, 3 finials, all original; 6 original windows, 3-light, mullion & transom, moulded frames, stone labels. Porch 1900, brick & glazed woodwork, tiled roof, inserted flush-panelled door. W chimney C17, rebuilt top. S, early C18 lean-to, stone, slate roof, C19 casement & door. 1st floor, window 1650, label, C20 metal casements. Original gable, bargeboards & finial, C19 mullion & transom window. W, C19 mullion & transom window, original label; above, early C18 3-light window, iron casements. Gable above mediaeval hall, collar, 3 out of 4 lower V-struts, 1650 bargeboards & 3 finials.

C18 (W) range, 2 storeys with cellars & attics, stone with hipped slate roof; moulded cornice & plain modillions. N & S chimneys gone, dormer windows substituted, rooflight to E. W, 5 bays, pedimented centrepiece, pediment now glazed. Windows, stone labels or wooden cornices, early C19 sashes & flat-arches, 2 blocked C19, central one narrowed. Doors, pair, original panelled oak now glazed, bolection architrave. Modern porch, stone & glazed wood, slate. S, windows, 2 blocked, 1 C20 sash, 1 C20 metal glazing. SE, upper window original, mullion & transom, stone & wood cornice. N, 2 windows blocked; upper 2 original, bolection wooden frames, partly leaded, 'relieving'-arch between them. NE, 1 original window.

Interior

Mediaeval hall: single bay, trusses with collar & tiebeam, V-struts above collar, 2 original purlins.

1650 range: doorways ovolo-moulded, arched heads, planked doors; chamfered & moulded plank & muntin partitions; one room ogee-moulded ceiling beams. Staircase, pierced splats, vase-shaped newels, moulded handrail & string, complete to 1st floor. 1st floor: door on fleur-de-lys hinges, moulded ceiling beam. Roof, collared trusses, raking struts.

C18 range: cellar partly vaulted, original panelled door. Ground floor, hall, original oak panelling & chimneypiece bolection-moulded, matching doors; ceiling oval wreath, circles & sprays, fruit & leaves; panelled shutters early C19. 1st floor, original doors of 3 bolection panels; N room has remains of full bolection panelling, box cornice, bolection chimneypiece; early C18 stairs to attics in SE angle. Roof, kingstruts above collars, principals with curved feet.

Reasons for Listing

The house is of exceptional interest, in particular for the the C17 range which is handsomely built, dated, well preserved, and whose builder is a historical person of some interest.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q17741258

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

• 
  London 3: North West: North West v. 3 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Pevsner's Architectural Glossary (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Churches: An Architectural Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Department for Communities Listed Historic Buildings of Northern Ireland: Information Guide for the 2nd Survey of Historic Buildings
• 
  [(Bedfordshire, Huntingdon and Peterborough)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1968)
• 
  London 1: The City of London: City of London v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)