Description

BITTERLEY

SO57NE Lower Court Farmhouse
482-1/6/72

GV II

Farmhouse then 3 houses, now 2 houses. C17, altered C18 and
C19. Stone rubble and brick. Plain-tile roof. Projecting stone
eaves stacks with brick restored star-shaped upper shafts and
caps. L-shaped plan of main range aligned north-south and west
cross wing to rear; one house occupying the 2 gabled wings,
the other occupying the linking bay to rear and a C20
extension to side.
EXTERIOR: 2-storey, attic and cellar. South front has gable
projecting to right and rear cross wing to left. Gable with
5-light C20 casement with top lights, 2-light casement at
attic, and ground-floor C19 projecting entrance porch with
ornate framing incorporating tablet with initials CHRB. Gable
left return side has C19 lean-to covering C20 entrance door
and 2-light casement at first floor. South front of cross
wing: obscured by lean-to to right with 3-light casement, to
left is one C20 3-light casement with top lights to first
floor, to ground floor a C19 3-light casement with top lights
and a further 2-light casement.
East side: central brick panel set between rubble stone
flanking walls. Inset into brick are 2 carved stone tablets;
upper with raised crest, lower with chamfered raised edge and
inscription. Above tablets are set 3 very eroded figured
corbels. At ground-floor centre is projecting C19 open porch
with plain beaded door frame and old boarded nail-studded door
with iron band hinges. To left is first-floor C17
lattice-leaded mullion and transom window, with 2 lower
flanking lights inbuilt with stone and complete window
bricked-in internally, large C20 casement with top lights
below. To right is 2-storey, 2-window range of 3-light
casements and large C20 casements with top lights to far
right. West gable end: oak-framed attic window with chamfered
mullion and reveals. Ground-level covered by C20 single-storey
brick extensions.
Rear to north: 2 large projecting stone stacks with wall
advanced between. In centre 3-light casement with C20 casement
below.
INTERIOR: main range with cellar. Ground-floor structure
consists of extensive deep bridging beams with
quadruple-beaded chamfer-moulds and floor joists with
double-bead with central flute soffit moulding, all possibly
reset. North bay of main range has 2 deep-chamfered bridging
beams with ogee stops at both floors, square-framed internal
cross-frames incorporating chamfered door openings.
First-floor stone fireplace with deep-chamfered mantlebeam and
chamfered reveals. Restored double purlin roofs.
East wall inscription: "ERECTED BY THOMAS HOPTON ESQ AND
MARGARET HIS WIFE AND DAUGHTER TO ADAM LUTLEY ESQ ANNO DOMINI
1602". Porch tablet initials refer to Sir Charles Henry
Rouse-Boughton of Downton Hall, 1825-1906, the landlord
responsible for many mid C19 modernizations in the district.

Listing NGR: SO5606477450

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26663531

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

• 
  The Listed Buildings and Other Principal Structures at the Royal Gunpowder Mills Waltham Abbey
• 
  Yorkshire West Riding: Sheffield and the South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Setting up a Listed Building Heritage Partnership Agreement: Historic England Advice Note 5
• 
  Hampshire: Winchester and the North (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects by Harwood, Richard (2012) Paperback
• 
  Kent: North East and East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)