Description

WILBURTON STATION ROAD
TL 4874 (West Side)

23/47 The Burystead
5.2.52
GV II*

House, formerly the manor house. Probably c1610 for Sir John Jolles, Alderman
of City of London, but some of the features would seem to be of later date.
Altered internally later C19. Red brick, English bond and broad mortar
courses. On high plinth (see Yew Tree House, Witcham and other Fenland houses
eg Hannath Hall, Tydd St Giles). Plain tiled gabled roof with sawtooth eaves
cornice. End parapets on kneelers having finials and an apex finial on a
corbel all of moulded brick, some repaired. Two ridge stacks to the centre
range and one to each wing. Each having two restored octagonal shafts on
rectangular base with moulded brick entablature. There is a later side stack
to the north wing. Original half-H plan with symmetrical stair turrets in the
reentrant angles. Centre range of two storeys. One C18 three light first
floor casement and an enlarged ground floor window. Reused red brick in front
wall. South stair turret has similar parapetted gables with finials. One
casement window to each flight. A doorway in the ground floor is modern.
South wing is two storeys and attic. It was probably the family or guest
wing. A principal doorway was in the north side wall. Window and door
openings where original have splayed reveals and header brick arches. The
gable end has an attic and first floor casement and an inserted ground floor
window. The windows in the south wall are all C20 wood cross frame casements
with leaded lights but some evidence of original openings remains including at
first floor a closet window of some size. The rear elevation has four gables
including those of the wings. One gable has been substantially rebuilt and
all have been repaired. The fenestration is C20 wood cross frame casements,
with leaded lights but some of the splayed openings are original and there are
relieving arches to the gables. Three gables have straight joint continuous
from ground to first floor on either side of the present windows. This
suggests that originally there were two storey bay window to the gables. At a
fairly early stage these were removed as the brick infill is of C17. The
north wing probably contained the service quarters. It is of two storeys and
attic and nearly symmetrical with the south wing. There is evidence for
window openings, now blocked, and one original remaining window opening in the
south wall. This has ovolo mullions and iron stay bars. A piece of timber
found when unbricking the window states that it was blocked in 1752. The
north stair turret is similar to the south and the doorway at ground floor,
although now partly blocked, is probably its original principal entry. The
string course which is continued round the entire exterior of the house is
here carried over one of the stair turret windows. One of these is also
original having an ovolo moulding. Interior: The plan of the house remains
intact. At the south end in the ground floor there have been some changes
however. The staircases were replaced in C19. The centre block has a large
fireplace with shaped back wall and moulded cornice above the hearth opening.
This is carried round the side wall of the chimney. The south wing has an
anteroom at the east end and larger room with original clunch fireplace except
for mantel and frieze. The main hearths have ovolo mullions. The first floor
of this wing still retains an intact hearth of clunch. The surround is formed
of pilasters on bases with diamond enrichment and having a frieze enriched
with raised and fielded panels in similar material. Other rooms have similar
hearths with shaped backs but without surrounds. The inglenook hearth is in
the north wing and is now blocked. The roof in the south wing and main range
is of staggered butt purlin type. That over the north wing has been rebuilt.
The house is of particular interest as being externally nearly intact and a
good example of a house of the period.

V.C.H. Cambs. Vol. IV
Pevsner: Buildings of England, p486

Listing NGR: TL4860274938

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17543622

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

• 
  Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair by Hunt. Roger ( 2008 ) Hardcover
• 
  Period Property Manual (New Ed)
• 
  Staffordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  [(Bedfordshire, Huntingdon and Peterborough)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1968)
• 
  Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy