Description

SOLIHULL LADY BYRON LANE
1.
5108
Longdon Hall
SP 1777 21/81
II

Longdon Hall, former manor house, largely C18 and C19, with possible earlier elements.

MATERIALS: Red brick with some exposed timber frame in the north gables. Plain tiled hipped roofs on the taller south range with three small gables on the north ranges. Two tall brick stacks to the rear of the main range, and additional side stack to the west.

PLAN: Double depth plan, with central entrance and staircase lobby, with single storey gabled extensions to the east and west containing service ranges.

EXTERIOR: The south (garden elevation) has a polite symmetrical Queen Anne facade. The central entrance doorway is flanked by two full-length French windows. On the first floor are three timber casements, above are three dormer windows. The outer dormers are hipped and the central dormer gabled. Symmetrical brick stacks to the rear. There are projecting brick string courses between the ground and first-floor and the first floor and attics. The north (courtyard entrance) elevation also has a symmetrical facade, although of an earlier date. There are three two-storey gabled wings. The outer wings have exposed framing in the gables and are higher and wider than the central range, which has the appearance of a two-storey entrance porch, infilling an earlier small courtyard. There is a large gabled dormer above the central range, and later symmetrical single storey gabled service extensions to the east and west. The windows are a mixture of later C20 timber casements, set largely in earlier flattened arch openings mirroring the central open entrance porch. There is large timber conservatory to the east.

INTERIOR: On the ground floor are four large rooms set either side of a wide central entrance lobby with staircase. There are chamfer stopped spine beams with exposed joists and the remains of large brick fireplaces with timber bressumers in all three ground floor reception rooms. Beyond the kitchen in the western extension is a range of further service rooms, including a housekeeper's sitting-room with C19 tiled fireplace. There is evidence of box framed timber framing in both the east lobby wall, and the ground floor lavatory which may include evidence for a smoke bay. The timber staircase appears to be late C19 to the first floor. On the first floor are three bedrooms and bathroom with exposed box framing, including chamfer stopped spine beams, joweled posts and box framed partitions. A probable C18 timber winder staircase leads to the attics. The lower part of the C19 hipped roof structure is evident in the southern attic rooms and earlier A- frame roof trusses survive in the northern attic rooms. Both the first-floor and attic preserve a range of early plank doors and original floorboards.

SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: To the north of the Hall are the remains of a courtyard with dwarf walls and late- C18 or or early- C19 agricultural buildings around three sides, which are illustrated on the 1887 first edition Ordnance Survey as an extensive range of courtyard farm buildings, surviving at least until the 1937 fourth edition. The western range was truncated and converted into stables with Listed Building Consent in the late C20. Only the rear wall of the northern range survives. The eastern range is best preserved, including a large barn with ancillary buildings and its subsidiary courtyard further east. The barn is in poor condition with much of its original plain tiled roof missing, however, the interior preserves at least five large, queen post roof trusses. Although, the incomplete nature of these buildings, prevents them from retaining special interest in their own right, they do form an important group with Longdon Hall, along with the infilled remains of the moat, lying immediately to the north.

SOURCES: R Cobb, Longdon Hall, Warwick Road, Knowle (2006)

Reasons for designation:

* There is evidence for substantial survival of a high-quality box framed timber frame building from at least the C18.

* The later C19 principal elevation to the south, and associated work, demonstrates good quality workmanship which adds to the building's interest.

* The historic fabric survives well, and the later additions and alterations do not detract from the earlier fabric; the building remains readable as a rural manor house.

Listing NGR: SP1710977498

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26498881

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.

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