Friars Court

Details

CLANFIELD A4095
SP20SE
(East side)
2/1
Friars Court
12.9.55
GV
II

Farmhouse. Mid-C17, possibly incorporating parts of a medieval building,
extended early C19 with later additions and alterations. Uncoursed limestone
rubble, roughcast to front of main range; stone slate roofs with coped verges on
carved stone kneelers to main range. 3- or 4-unit through-passage plan with
twin-gabled range at right-angles to rear on right forming L-plan. 2 storeys and
attic on moulded plinth. Chamfered mullion windows with dripstones to first
floor, all of 3 lights, one to left and one above and to either side of entrance
to right of centre. Similar arrangement to ground floor except windows are of 4
lights; infilled 3-light mullion window formerly lighting staircase to left of
centre. Three evenly-spaced C19 gabled eaves dormers with coped verges on carved
kneelers. Integral ashlar end stack with chamfered dripstones and capping to
right arid similar ridge stack directly above infilled window to left of centre.
C19 gabled porch has outer Tudor arch with rectangular windows to sides and
inner half-glazed panelled door, also in Tudor arch. Left gable end is roughly
stepped in 3 stages, top of second roughly at dripstone level of windows to
front, which is possibly eaves line of an earlier building. Possible former
eaves line also visible at this level to back wall. Ramped buttress to rear left
corner may be medieval. C17 mullion windows in back wall. Rear range has 3
storeys. Early C19 two-storey range attached to right of main range has C20
casement on each floor to left and right of gabled porch similar to that of main
range over flush 4-panel door, those to first floor directly below eaves.
Infilled window directly below eaves and small integral end stack to right;
lean-to projection to base probably housing bread oven. C19 rubble stone
lean-tos to rear and to right of twin-gabled range. Interior. Only partial
inspection possible at time of resurvey (May 1987). Early to mid-C19 staircase
with stick balusters and wreathed handrail to left of main entrance but winder
staircase formerly lit by infilled window is said to have been removed; another
winder staircase is said to remain in rear range. The house is said to stand on
the site of a preceptory of Knights Hospitallers (q.v. under Nos.3-5, Friar's
Court Cottages). This had been refounded at Clanfield before 1279 but was
united with Quenington (Glos.) c.1433. A well-preserved moat surviving on 2
sides of the house and fragments of medieval window tracery (not included in
this list) in the garden add weight to this belief. C20 lean-to conservatory in
angle between main and rear ranges is not of special architectural interest.
(Buildings of England: Oxfordshire: p547; D. Knowles and R.N. Hadcock: Medieval
Religious Houses (1971): p302; John Blair: St. Leonard's Chapel, Clanfield,
Oxoniensia L (1985): pp209-14)
[2295]


Listing NGR: SP2853200883

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

253747

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Pevsner, N, Sherwood, J, The Buildings of England: Oxfordshire, (1974), 547
Knowles, D, Medieval Religious Houses: England and Wales, (1971), 302
Oxoniensia in Oxoniensia, (1985), 209-14

End of official list entry

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