Description

STEEPLE ASHTON HIGH STREET ST 9056 (west side) 13/251 Ashton House (formerly listed with No 34) 11.9.68 GV II*

House with cottage attached to left. Hall house of c1400 with C16 alterations and additions, refronted 1724 by Stileman family, extended and restored 1924 by Sir Harold Brakspear for Mr. Harding Tyler. Limestone ashlar front to timber-framed ranges, double- roman tiled roof with stone stacks with moulded cappings. Three- bay open hall with solar wing to south, C16 front range, 1920s long rear service wing and north extension. Two-storey, 5-window. Central 6-panelled door in moulded architrave with scrolled pediment on consoles, acanthus-leaf ball finial, two cross windows either side, chamfered quoins, lintel string course. First floor has five 12-pane sashes with panelled aprons, moulded stone cornice to high parapet with blind windows and panels, lead rainwater goods dated 1724 with initials CS (Christian Stileman). 1924 single- storey 2-bay service extension in similar style attached to right, lead rainwater heads dated 1924/AMHT. Right return has 2-light mullioned casements to first floor. Rear of main range has square- panelled timber-framing, 3-light cyma-mullioned casement, oriel hall window and planked door to right, 3-light wood mullioned casement to first. Long 1924 wing attached to right is rubble stone with stone slate roof, planked doors left and right, mullioned casements and bull's eyes to ground and first floors, central cylindrical projecting stair turret with conical roof, south side of wing has 3-bay loggia at west end, similar windows. Interior: Three-bay open hall with C16 stone stack inserted in north bay; fireplace with Tudor-arched surround, cornice and herringbone brick back, fine arch-braced collar truss roof with moulded soffits, 2 tiers of curved windbracing and restored carved and brattished wall plate. Solar on south side originally 4 bays, east bay partly truncated by 1724 front, arch-braced collar truss roof with moulded soffits, two tiers of windbracing to chamfered purlins, truss in west end altered to a tie-beam truss in C20, C16 timber-framed partition and inserted fireplace. Entrance hall added to east side of hall in early C16; heavily-moulded cross beamed ceiling, exposed joists, moulded stone fireplace with depressed arch and cornice, C16 framed newel stairs with turned balusters, closed string and square newels. First floor chamber with similar moulded cross beams, depresssed arched stone fireplace, traces of wall painting above planked door leading to C16 gallery inserted along east side of hall. C16 cottage attached to left of front; rendered timber-framing, double roman tiled roof with grouped brick stack to right. Two-storey, 1-window; C19 panelled door to right, 16-pane sash to left and 3-light leaded casement to first floor. Rear has outshut with hipped dormer. Interior of cottage has winding stair beside stack. (Country Life, October 30, 1942; Wiltshire Buildings Record, Devizes)

Listing NGR: ST9064656887

External Links

• Wikidata Q17544075

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

• 
  Sussex: West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Building Small Projects (New Best of Fine Woodworking)
• 
  Development and Design of Heritage Sensitive Sites: Strategies for Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas
• 
  Churches: An Architectural Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Lancashire: Liverpool and the South-West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  London 6: Westminster (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England): Westminster v. 6