Description

CHITTLEHAMPTON
SS 62 SW

3/99 Hudscott House

-
20.2.67
GV II*

House, a seat of the Rolle family in the C18 and C19. No clear visible features
survive to date the house before the early C17, but its complex plan would suggest
that successive remodellings in the C17, C18 and C19 have very probably obscured
considerably earlier fabric. Painted rendered stone rubble and some cob. Slate
roof with gable ends. All stacks are rendered, 2 rear lateral stacks to principal
range, axial and 2 gable end stacks to front range, one axial stack, one lateral
stack with demolished shaft and gable end stack to left-hand rear wing, and 2 axial
stacks to right-hand rear service wing.
Plan: Complex multi-phase development has obscured original plan. Principal range
consists of main hall with principal room to left, both heated by rear lateral
stacks. Direct front entrance into main hall. Narrow room at right end, which may
at one time have housed the principal staircase, now forms circulating hall for
access into front and rear ranges. Axial passage to rear of hall gives access to the
2 rear wings with C20 staircase between, which form a 3-sided reear courtyard plan,
the right-hand wing housing kitchens and service rooms, left-hand range has single
large ground floor room, possibly intended as a dining room. Single storey range of
outbuildings on the fourth side. Attached to the right-hand front end of the
principal range is a parallel range extending to the right, of 2 principal rooms with
cellars below, the left-hand room forming an extension of the main dwelling, the
right-hand room with leanto at the right gable end now used for holiday
accommodation. Oblique access from this room into a small gable-ended building which
may well have once served as a chapel and which is attached to the front right end
of this second range, and extends beyond it to the right.
2 storeys. Principal range has 8-window range, all early C19 12-paned hornless
sashes. Ground floor has canted bay window with 16-pane central sash and 12-pane
side sashes to left and three 12-pane sashes to right of early C19 Tuscan porch with
enclosed partially glazed sides and front door of 2 leaves, with margin glazing bars
to the upper part. C19 inner door has 2 panelled base, upper part glazed with blind
fanlight and conceals behind it a heavy studded early C17 plank door. Attached
range to front right end has large 2 storey canted bay window with 12-paned sashes.
Probable former chapel to right end has a single light and a 2-light chamfered stone
mullion window, the right-hand window retaining late C17/early C18 iron casements
with decorative wrought iron latches. The leaded lights are C20 replacements;
formerly these are believed to have contained stained glass.
Attached to the left gable end of the principal range is a C19 glass conservatory
with iron spike finial at the gable end and gabled front entrance doorway. Timber
glazing bars and decorative cast iron brackets intact.
Interior: high quality interior incorporating features of several phases from C17
onwards. Fine C17 decorative plasterwork overmantel to hall chimneypiece with Ionic
baluster style colonnettes flanking elaborate strapwork cartouche with central
achievement and armorial bearings of Lovering and Dodderidge family. C17 raised and
fielded dado panelling, semi-circular arched door surrounds and window seats. Boxed
in intersecting ceiling beams supported at upper end of hall by 2 Tuscan columns.
Principal room to left of hall has early C19 reeded architraves to doors and bay
window, and decorative moulded plaster cornice. C20 principal staircase to rear of
hall in C18 style. 2 C17 doorways with chamfered surrounds into right-hand rear
service wing. Rear left-hand wing has boxed in intersecting ceiling beams and
bolection moulded chimneypiece. The left-hand room of the parallel front range
retains some C17 dado panelling. The presumed chapel has plain plastered internal
walls and barrel roof. 2 principal chambers to each end of the main range have
coved ceilings with early C19 neo-Classical repeating plasterwork design around the
coving to the left end chamber, that to right end chamber appears to have been
replaced with embossed paper. The C18 and early C19 doors which survive intact
throughout are of a high quality, and the principal chambers retain their integral
cupboards, window benches and chimneypieces.
Roof structure over principal range appears to be C18 with wide-span pegged trusses
with no sign of smoke-blackening. The roof over the attached front range was not
inspected.
Hudscott is a house of considerable interest, its modest size belying the fact that
it was in the C18 and C19 a seat of the Rolle family, although not the principal
seat. In the late C17, under the occupation of the Lovering family, it became a
refuge for ejected Presbyterial ministers.

Listing NGR: SS6495424764

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Hudscott at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q16994402

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

• 
  Staffordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Worcestershire Revised Edition (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Gloucestershire 2: The Vale and The Forest of Dean: Vale and Forest of Dean Pt. 2 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair by Hunt. Roger ( 2008 ) Hardcover
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990: Updated version
• 
  Old House Care and Repair