Description

NASSINGTON CHURCH STREET
TL0696 (South side)
16/178 No.57 (Prebendal Manor House)
23/05/67 (Formerly listed as Prebendal
Manor Farmhouse)
GV I
Prebendal Manor house. C13 on site of Saxon hall; remodelled C15, service wing
late C15/early C16, hall subdivided horizontally and vertically C17, remodelled
1730 and mid C19. Squared coursed limestone with ashlar dressings and stone
slate roof. Originally hall with solar range to north, now demolished, and
service range to south. 2 storeys. Entrance front of 4-window range of mid C19
sash windows under wood lintels. 2-window range, to right, breaks forward, and
is the medieval hall. Bay to far right breaks forward slightly and has small
square squints in the return, at ground and first floor levels. 2-window range,
to left, is C17 and later. C15, central, gabled porch corresponds with entrance
to screens passage. Outer doorway has cambered tie beam with carved boss and
king post above. Flanking, reset, carved heads. C15 inner doorway with moulded
surround and 4-centred arch-head. 2-stage buttress between windows, to right.
Ashlar gable parapet between hall and service ranges. 3 stone stacks to ridge
and end of hall range. Service range has hipped roof, to left, and lateral stone
stack. Gable end, to right, has evidence of north range, demolished c.1800. C13
arch-head doorway, to far right, with jamb of similar opening abutting at right
angles. Various blocked openings in this gable. Rear elevation, to garden, has
2-window range of hall, to left, and unequal gabled cross-wing of service range
breaking forward to right. Hall windows are C13, 2-light with round heads and
C15 cinquefoil headed lights. The left window is a C20 restoration. Single-stage
buttress between windows. C13 doorway into screens passage, to right, has
chamfered jambs, round head and moulded abaci. Above is a single-light window
with moulded stone surround. Gable end of cross-wing has cross casement at first
floor, with reset carved heads at cill, under wood lintel. Single light window,
under wood lintel, below. Return wall has C19 casement, to first floor, and C20
door to ground floor; both under wood lintels. Elevation to right has some C19
windows. Interior: wall defining screens passage has 2 doorways, under wood
lintels, and supports a plaster floor; thought to have been a minstrels gallery.
The hall, now subdivided into 2 areas, has central stack with open fireplace and
bressumer, porbably inserted C17. Large open fireplace at the north end,
probably inserted C15. A C20 staircase, with gallery, now gives access to the
first floor of the hall. Traces of wall painting to wall at foot of staircase.
The jambs of the windows on the entrance front correspond with the jambs of the
medieval openings. C15 four-bay roof structure was reconstructed C19. Trusses
with tie beams, arched-braced collars, struts, now missing, and 2 tiers of butt
purlins. Tie beams are double ogee moulded; with the exception of that above the
screens passage which is chamfered on the passage side. To the left of the
screens passage the kitchen incorporates the service range, probably subdivided
C17. A cross wall, with datestone 1743, has 2 doorways to each floor, under
common lintels. Open fireplace in kitchen has restored bressumer. First floor
room above kitchen, bias ceiling with 3 cambered tie beams, probably inserted
C16. 4 bay roof structure noted as having collars, clasped purlins, wind braces
and cambered tie beams with curved struts; intermediate trusses have collars
only. Rooms to west of kitchen are probably C16. A series of 3 doorways with
eliptical heads lead progressively iron the hell range into this area. C19
staircase to right of this arrangement. Remains of garderobe against south wall.
Large mass of masonry in south-west corner. First floor room, over this area has
fireplace with square-head chamfered surround. C18 roof with collars and clasped
purlins. Excavations below the hall floor have revealed post holes of a Saxon
aisled hall and evidence of a central hearth. The Prebend of Nassington was
established in Lincoln Cathedral in C12 and the endowment consisted of
Nassington Church its land and tithes. The house was occupied by the Prebendary
and his tenants until 1836 when the Prebend was dissolved.
(Buildings of England: Northamptonshire: p310; VCH: Northamptonshire: Vol 2,
p586; RCHM: An Inventory of Architectural Monuments in North Northamptonshire:
p121; Northemptonshire County Archaeological lUnit: Unpublished details of
archaeological excavations)

Listing NGR: TL0629096126

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17526803

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

• 
  Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Period Property Manual (New Ed)
• 
  Department for Communities Listed Historic Buildings of Northern Ireland: Information Guide for the 2nd Survey of Historic Buildings
• 
  Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Gloucestershire 2: The Vale and The Forest of Dean: Vale and Forest of Dean Pt. 2 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy