Description

ASHTON HIGHER ASHTON
SX 88 SE
6/16 Pitmans
11.11.52
GV II
House. Late C16 or earlier origins, extended in the C17, first floor largely
reconstructed after a fire in 1975. Whitewashed rendered cob and stone rubble;
thatched roof, gabled at ends; front lateral projecting stack with granite shaft and
bread oven bulge to main block, right end stack to wing.
Plan: L plan, forming 2 sides of a narrow courtyard of which Beggars Roost (qv) forms
2 sides. Original plan not entirely clear but the main block is single depth with a
large room to the right heated by the lateral stack and a narrow service room to the
left, possibly originally a cross or through passage suggesting that Pitmans is the
lower end and passage of a 3 room and through passage house, hall and inner room in
main block of Beggers Roost. If this is the case, the lower end room in Pitmans was
evidently of superior status. There is a 1 room plan wing to the rear of the heated
room with some C17 features.
Exterior: 2 storeys. Asymmetrical 2 window (west) front with the lateral stack to
the right and a thatched timber and glass C20 porch to the left with a front door
into the putative passage. Small pane timber casement windows. The right return of
the house, overlooking the lane through Higher Ashton has an asymmetrical 3 window
elevation with the eaves thatch eyebrowed over the 2 right hand first floor windows.
Doorway with timber door directly into wing, approximately in centre; 2-light C20
small pane timber casements. There is one, probably C17, window with chamfered jambs
to the rear of the wing.
Interior: Features of interest on the ground floor: the putative passage has an oak
plank and muntin screen to the right hand with a good doorframe with a cambered
chamfered lintel; muntins chamfered and stopped on the side of the heated room. A
chamfered crossbeam to the left of the passage retains pegholes, possibly for the
muntins of a former screen. The principal room has a chamfered axial beam with
exposed chamfered stopped joists, some joists are 1970s copies following the fire.
Fine granite fireplace with hollow-chamfered jambs and a chamfered nowy-headed
granite lintel below a granite relieving arch. C19 bread oven cut through lintel.
The ground floor room of the wing has a rough axial beam and open fireplace with
rubble jambs, a re-used granite lintel and a bread oven. One corner of the room is
panelled with C17 panelling which has evidently been re-sited. Small C17 2-light
timber mullioned window, blocked externally, on rear wall.
Roof: Entirely replaced after fire of 1975.
Pitmans is on the perimeter of the churchyard and forms a group with Beggars Roost
and the former wheelwright's shop.

Listing NGR: SX8565584704

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26618577

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

• 
  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas and Monuments
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990
• 
  Gloucestershire 2: The Vale and The Forest of Dean: Vale and Forest of Dean Pt. 2 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Worcestershire Revised Edition (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius (Penguin Art & Architecture)