Description

SO 4598 WOOLSTASTON C.P. THE SQUARE
(south-east side)

10/103 Bowdler's House

6.1.86

GV II*

Shown on O.S. map as Nos. 38 and 39.
Farmhouse, now house. Late C14 with mid- to late C16 alterations,
partial remodelling of c.1878 and late C20 addition. Timber framed
with plastered infill, partly of cruck construction and partly rebuilt
in red brick; cross wing remodelled in painted brick and painted imitation
plaster framing; plain tile roof. 3-bay former hall range of cruck
construction with projecting gabled 3-bay cross wing to north-west.
One storey and attic and 2 storeys. North-east front: large C16 timber
framed full gabled eaves dormer to hall range with closely-spaced uprights,
2 collars, curved v-struts and small quatrefoil in apex, and 3-light
wooden-framed metal casement; brick stack in front of ridge to left
(C20 brick above roof) and large rendered external end stack at rear
of cross wing with pair of C19 diamond brick shafts. Hall range to
left with C19 three-light wooden casement , boarded door to right and
late C20 seven-panelled door to left. Right-hand cross wing with first-
floor C19 segmental-headed 2-light lattice casement, and 2 ground-floor
small lattice casements flanking central boarded door. North-west front:
remodelled in C19 with 3 first-floor 2-light wooden casements (outer
pair with gables above on scrolled brackets and ground-floor 2-light
wooden casement to left and 3-light wooden casement to right flanking
central blocked doorway (now 2 light casement) with gabled timber porch
on scrolled brackets. Painted brick one-storey C19 addition to right.
Large late C20 timber framed addition adjoining hall range to south-
east. Interior: former open hall of one long and one short bay with
2 full cruck trusses; quarter-round moulded arch-braced former hall
truss with central post and v-struts, and former spere truss with cambered
tie-beam and wattle and daub infill surviving in some square panels;
roof with chamfered purlins and wind braces. Inserted C16 first floor
in long bay with heavily-moulded cross-beams and chamfered joists with
run-out stops; inserted late C16 stack inserted in short bay incorporating
large open fireplace with chamfered lintel. Cross-wing roof with deep
cambered tie beams,crown posts with curved down braces and chamfered
longitudinal braces,and chamfered and stopped collar purlins Rear
ground-floor room has chamfered cross-beamed ceiling with large joists
and large open fireplace with chamfered and stopped segmental, lintel.
Chamfered ogee-headed doorway between hall range and cross wing. Winder
staircase. The house appears to consist of a former open hall of 2
bays with the remains of a short screens passage bay to left and a former
solar cross wing at the high end, still with the now blocked doorway
connecting it to the hall. The house was formerly the home of the Bowdler
family. The Rev. E. D. Carr was probably responsible for the c.1878
remodelling of the cross wing when the house was occupied by his coachman.
He also laid out the small village green onto which the cross wing faces.
The house forms part of a small farmstead group in a prominent position
in the centre of the village, also including a barn to the north-east
(q.v.). Despite later alterations this house is a very complete and
fine example of a medieval hall and cross wing. In many details this
house is similar to Shootrough Farmhouse, Cardington C.P. (q.v.).
V.C.H., Vol. VIII, p.171; Alcock, p.145.

Listing NGR: SO4524498384

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17540439

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

• 
  Yorkshire West Riding: Leeds, Bradford and the North (Pevsner Architectural Guides / Buildings of England)
• 
  Devon (Pevsner 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)
• 
  Central Leinster: Kildare, Laois and Offaly (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
• 
  Suffolk: East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)