Description

NEWPORT PAGNELL

SP 8844 Tickford Abbey
645/1/10061
09-MAR-00

GV II

House, now nursing and residential care home. Circa 1757 for John Hooton, Gentleman and lace merchant; altered and added to early-mid C19; and again 1881-9 by Edward Swinfen Harris for Philip Butler, JP; futher internal alterations late-C20 for use as residential home. Of ashlar limestone between slender end-pilasters with a rendered crenallated parapet and slated roofs with octagonal shafted stacks. Square on plan, the main front facing W, of 3 storeys and 5 bays, symmetrical, with a diminutive central porch, altered C20 to a lobby, with side access. The end bays of the ground floor have paired timber windows in square C19 crenellated bays. At the centre, above the porch, a narrow canted 2-storey oriel rising to parapet level with heavily-moulded 6-pane timber windows. To either side, on the first floor, similar cross-windows set in line-rusticated surrounds. Similar windows to the 2nd floor, but without the surrounds. Grouped stacks over bay 2 and between bays 4 and 5. The main front elevation is continued to the S by a 2-storey lean-to and a single-storey service range with a crenellated parapet set back.The north elevation, overlooking the lawns and river, returns at 3 storeys for 2 bays. Blocked door in a rusticated and pedimented doorcase, with bust of monk claimed to be medieval, but probably C17 or early-C18. To the left, a large C19 5-light transomed window containing some stained glass in the upper lights. Further to the left, an added 2-storey bay with end pilasters, a canted bay window with a parapet and plate-glass windows on the ground floor, and above a bold string, 3 rectangular windows to the first floor, the upper lights with small panes. Triglyph frieze with sunflower emblems and a parapet concealing a pitched slate roof and iron finial, the wind-vane inscribed PB 1882'. This building continues further to the left at 2-storeys under a hipped slate roof with arcaded red ridge tiles and finial. Three 8-pane windows to the upper level, above a strong mid-wall string. The gable end is pebbledashed, with open eaves and tripartite sashes. The rear elevations are altered.
Interior: considerably altered C19 and C20. Arched and moulded Gothic entrance door leading to stair hall, the dog-leg stair leading up to the left having a good C19 moulded cast-iron balustrade. Offset to the rear of the hall, a second hallway, entered through a stone Tuscan arcade of 2 segmental arches, has a coved ceiling with exposed battens; a cross-window at the end; and a chair rail. Off to the left of the stair hall, is a reception room with a moulded open plasterwork cornice, and a timber fireplace with a bracketed shelf, supported by large inverted consoles. To the rear, on the N, the late-C19 dining room has a large moulded recess on the E wall and moulded cross-beams on deep cut brackets rising from stone corbels; panelled ceiling with moulded and stained ribe. Panelled doors and C19 fireplaces throughout.

History: On the site of a small Cluniac abbey founded in 1100; rebuilt after partial destruction by fire in c. 1311; partially occupied as a house after the early-C16 supression of minor houses; the earlier buildings finally cleared away c. 1757 prior to the building of the existing house.

References:
Hunt J and Mynard D, Newport Pagnell; A Pictorial History, 1995, figs 34-5;
Pevsner N & Williamson E, Buckinghamshire, Buildings of England series, 1994, p 580;
Simpson J, History of the Town of Newport Pagnell;, 1868, pp 40-53;
Royal Commission on Historical Monuments, Buckinghamshire (North), 1913, pp 209-210;
Victoria County History, Vol iv, pp 416-7.

Listing NGR: SP8827844016

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26660378

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

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  Department for Communities Listed Historic Buildings of Northern Ireland: Information Guide for the 2nd Survey of Historic Buildings
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  Central Leinster: Kildare, Laois and Offaly (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
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  Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius (Penguin Art & Architecture)
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  Pevsner's Architectural Glossary (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
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  Cumbria: Cumberland, Westmorland and Furness (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)