Description

ST23NW SPAXTON CP BUSH LANE (North side)

2/165 Bush House and Higher Bush House

II

House, now sub-divided. Built in the C17 (Higher Bush House) with a large early-C19 addition (Bush House).

MATERIALS: Rendered cob and random rubble with roofs of slate and double Roman tiles. Brick stacks, some of which are polygonal in form. The windows to Higher Bush House are mostly timber casements of various dates, though largely C19 and C20. There is a three-light mullioned timber window (restored) in the south east gable wall and a canted bay window to the north east elevation of the wing. Bush House has some early-C19 sashes, but mostly late-C20 aluminium and timber windows
PLAN: Roughly rectangular in plan comprising two attached parallel ranges, each of two storeys, and a two storey wing of one bay at right angles to Higher Bush House. To the south west, the associated outbuildings have an L-shaped plan.

EXTERIOR: The principal elevation of Higher Bush House faces south west and is of four bays. The windows are a mix of four- and single-light casements and there is a central entrance which now has French doors of C20 date. At right angles is a short wing with a semi-basement. An external timber staircase leads to French doors at first floor. Attached to this wing is a single storey addition, formerly a dairy. The east return of the main range retains a three-light mullioned window (recently uncovered) to the ground floor. The north west gable wall has a large canted bay window. The garden (north east) front to Bush House has 3:1 bays with a full height canted window to the right hand bay that has a six-panelled entrance door to the ground floor and a bay window with glazing bars above. The north west elevation has a projecting entrance porch of ashlar with an early-C19 door.
INTERIOR: Higher Bush House retains three open hearths with large timber bressumers, some pegged door cases and chamfered ceiling beams with stepped stops. To the right of the easternmost fireplace are two short sections of decorative plaster frieze which appear to have been re-sited. The first floor room in the south west wing appears to have been refurbished in the early-C19 and retains Regency style fittings including a fireplace, architraves, recessed shelves, window shutters, and a deep cornice. The openings at ground and first floors that originally provided access between the two ranges were blocked when the house was divided into two properties; however the connecting doors survive in Higher Bush House. Bush House retains early-C19 fittings such as a staircase with stick balusters, door cases and panelled doors, and a fireplace with decorative timber surround to the principal first floor room.
SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: The outbuildings (former COACH HOUSE and STABLES) form two sides of a courtyard to the south west of Higher Bush House. They are built of random rubble stone under pitched roofs of double Roman tiles. Some of the window openings have brick surrounds and appear to be early-C19 insertions; they include an oculus with decorative leaded lights in the north east gable. There is a taking-in door in the north west gable wall. The north east range retains stall partitions and feeding troughs.
HISTORY: The original part of the house (Higher Bush House) dates from the C17 and was substantially enlarged in the early C19 with the addition of a parallel range to the north east (Bush House), creating a large single residence. At the same time much of the earlier part appears to have been downgraded to a service range. The house was divided into two separate dwellings in the mid-C20.

REASON FOR DESIGNATION: Bush House and Higher Bush House are designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* They represent an unusual example of a C17 vernacular house which was retained, although largely downgraded to a service range, following the construction of a substantial attached range in the early C19
* Clear evidence relating to the development of both phases of construction and the plan form remains legible throughout
* Both have well-preserved interiors that retain features dating from the principal building campaigns of the C17 and C19
* They form a cogent grouping with the associated outbuildings to the south west of Higher Bush House

Listing NGR: ST2193836072

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26313197

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

• 
  Suffolk: West: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990
• 
  Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2
• 
  Somerset: North and Bristol: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius (Penguin Art & Architecture)
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects by Harwood, Richard (2012) Paperback