History

A Regency villa of 1831 incorporating earlier, late C17/early C18 fabric; altered and extended c.1878 by Owen Orton Powell Edmond Esq, at which time re-named Bodowen (originally Henblas). The home of Major H W Tilman (1898-1977), the famous explorer and mountaineer.

Exterior

2 storeys; rendered rubble. Square plan with contemporary service wing to NE. Pyramidal slate roof with rectangular central rendered stack ;this with 8 moulded Victorian chimneypots. Wide oversailing eaves with moulded brackets. Assymetrical entrance front (NW); central entrance with recessed 4-panelled Victorian door (glazed upper section). Above this a good carved stone heraldic plaque with the date 1878 and the Edmond arms. Original (relocated) brass plaque to L of door:`Bodowen 1831.' 6-light wooden mullioned and transomed windows to ground and first floors to L of entrance. 4-light window to L with plain 4-pane Victorian sash above, all recessed. SW side with 2 long cross-windows (down to ground level) with sash windows as before above. To the rear, a single-storey lead-roofed extension(1878) with corbelled eaves; square glazed bay with French windows.Attached 4-bay service range to NE stepped-down slightly; slate roof.This is built into the slope of the hill and the 2 bays to the L areof one storey only; external stepped access to side and up to former service court. Along the front (NW) and side (SW) of the main house, aglazed-roofed verandah (1878) carried on cast iron columns with acanthus capitals and pierced, decorative brackets; geometric tiledfloor. The SE and SW roof pitches of the house each have 2 modern gabled, plain-glazed dormers; skylight to front (NW) pitch.

Adjoining the external service steps, and built into the slope of the hill, a single-storey rubble-built wash house, contemporary with the Regency house. Slate roof, hipped to the NE; entrance opposite the service wing (SE) with boarded door. 2 modern glazed lights to NW face, between raised ground level and eaves; further boarded light to angled N face.

Interior

NE room (kitchen) with wide inglenook fireplace with stop- chamfered bresummer. Thick walls with low panelled doorways; 6- panelled doors. Further, slate-linteled inglenook to entrance hall; geometric polychromed tiles.

Reasons for Listing

An elegant Regency villa with interesting late C19 alterations, being the former home of the explorer Major H W Tilman.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q29493237

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

• 
  Period Property Manual (New Ed)
• 
  Gloucestershire 2: The Vale and The Forest of Dean: Vale and Forest of Dean Pt. 2 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990: Updated version
• 
  Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas and Monuments
• 
  Somerset: South and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  London 1: The City of London: City of London v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)