Description

TL 2582 UPWOOD AND THE RAVELEYS HIGH STREET
(West Side) UPWOOD
13/74 Upwood Manor, Upwood House, Ailwyn House
21.7.51 (formerly listed as Manor
House)

GV II

Manor House, now three dwellings. Mid C17 possibly incorporating chimney stacks from earlier house. C18 dairy and game larder added on the north and early C19 ballroom extension on the south. Late C2O alterations. Red brick, later plaster rendered, on plinth. Hipped roofs with dentil cornice, plain tiled to front pitch but graduated Collyweston stone slates to rear pitch.
Rear wall has two projecting side stacks of coursed limestone with red brick to upper courses and three diagonally set shafts. One stack has stonework repaired with red brick. Each wing has a similar projecting side stack of coursed limestone with red brick work to upper courses and a moulded brick string. Diagonally set shafts. Half H-plan, extended on south side by a ballroom adjoining and parallel to the south wing, and on the north in the C18 by an addition to the kitchen wing. Two storeys and attic. Two dormers. Principal front in three bays with gabled central entry bay approached by three steps and flanked by giant pilasters. In the gable is an oval window. The door and hood are C2O following the removal of the conservatory which had been added in C19. Each bay has a raised panel to each storey, those at first floor having segmental arches of header brickwork. The fenestration is modern. The wings have giant corner pilasters and similar raised panels to the side and end walls although on the north wing the panels are carried up from the ground floor. Segmental arches to the first floor openings. The openings were altered in the south crosswing in the early C19 when the main entry was made. Some of the hung sashes retain original C19 glass. The north wall of the north wing has early C18 glazing bars. The first floor is in three bays each with a similar raised panel. A doorway in the same wall has an original door, formed of two layers of boards set at right angles and held with studded nails. The iron door furniture is original and includes strap hinges with cocks head ends. The rear wall has a similar architectural treatment with corner pilasters but the disposition of the two projecting stacks prevented the symmetry of the front elevation. The north wing was extended early C18. Brick, painted, and plain tiled, hipped roof. Two storeys. Originally blind on the front with an early C18 ovolo mullion hung sash in the rear wall. Early C19 ballroom was added adjoining and parallel to south wing. Brick, painted and hipped, slate roof. Two storeys. South wall in five window bays. Hung sashes in raised and moulded surrounds with cornices carried on console brackets at ground floor. Sill lowered and doorway inserted in centre bay. Interior: Much of the interior of the centre block and south wing has been removed. However a fine c.16OO fireplace remains. Limestone. Pointed arch with narrow cyma and two square mouldings on high base with chamfer and stop. Other openings have header arches of red brick. In the attic of the south wing is c.177O vertical panelling, and a first floor room, also in south wing, has a fireplace surround in the C18 Chinese style. The north crosswing has some exposed stop chamfered main beams. It is cellared. There is an original closed-string staircase with the upper flight retaining the original symmetrically turned balusters and early C18 balusters to the lower flights. Square newels with carved drops, and ball finials to the upper flight. Some dado panelling, C18 remaining at first floor, internal partition walling, raised and fielded panelled doors. The early C19 ballroom has a smoking-room at the east end in which there is a reset c.1760 fireplace surround and overmantel with egg and dart moulding, shouldered surround and Chinese style frieze similar to that still remaining in the first floor room of the south wing. In 1649 the Withams, alias Cromwell, family sold Upwood Manor to Stephen Pheasant, and it is likely that the present house was built by him. The interior of the ballroom has been altered by Terry Farrell c.1985.
R.C.H.M. Hunts., mon (2) V.C.H. Hunts: Vol. II
Cambs, Hunts and Peterborough Life: Upwood House (Feb. 1972)

Listing NGR: TL2581182760

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26423204

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

• 
  Devon (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Kent: North East and East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Period Property Manual (New Ed)
• 
  Georgian Style and Design for Contemporary Living
• 
  Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability