Little Bowhay

Details

This List entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 06/11/2018


SX; 3/95

SHILLINGFORD,
BARTON LANE,
ST. GEORGE,
Little Bowhay

(Formerly listed as: Little Bowhay, shown on Ordnance Survey map as Bowhay Cottage)

GV

II

House, in two occupations. Circa early C16 origins, remodelled in the circa late C17,
some rebuilding and re-roofing of the C18, some C19 refurbishment. Colourwashed
rendered cob; the right hand end has a thatched roof, hipped at the right end, gabled
at the left, the left hand end has a corrugated asbestos roof (formerly thatched) and
lower roofline; left end stack, axial stack, front right corner stack, all with brick
shafts.
The earliest dateable part of the present building is the right hand thatched block
which was a 4-bay medieval open hall house, probably of two rooms divided by low
screens, the lower end to the right. There may have been an inner room (the right
hand room of the left hand block) but this appears to have been rebuilt in the C18.
Several features suggest that the hall was floored over comparatively late, probably
in the late C17. The hall stack was inserted, backing on to the passage, which is
unusual in having a winder stair at the rear. The eaves were raised, probably in the
C18, possibly co-evally with the rebuilding of the inner room, which was used as a
service room, and the adjoining byre. The lower end room was probably not heated at
this date and may have been used for storage. A partition wall at the rear of the
hall provides a very narrow service room at the rear with access from the passage, it
is not clear whether this arrangement is part of the C18 alterations or later. In
the circa mid C19 the lower end room was refurbished as a parlour with a front right
corner stack. Single-storey C20 lean-to at rear in centre. The left-hand block, now
in separate occupation, consists of one heated room at the right and an unheated left-hand room.
The adjoining byre at the left is now single-storey but was formerly
lofted.
Two-storey house. Asymmetrical 2 + 3 window front, the thatched block has steps up to
a front door to right of centre, leading into the passage, and 2-light small pane
casement windows. Several buttresses on front. The left hand block has a front door
on the front at the right and small pane casements. The rear elevation has an attic
dormer with a 2-light small pane casement.

INTERIOR: The thatched block is very unaltered since the C19. The hall stack has a
C20 grate, probably concealing earlier features; a boxed-in axial beam is exposed and
chamfered adjacent to the stack. The parlour has a mid C19 chimney-piece and co-eval
round-headed recess on the rear wall. Three smoke-blackened jointed crucks survive in
the thatched block, below a later roof. The ridge of the medieval roof is incomplete
but some thatch, battens and rafters remain intact from the open hall phase. The
left hand block has large rough-hewn axial beams, the principal rafters are boxed in
but appear to be straight. The byre has two types of roof truss, one is halved and
pegged, the other has the collar mortised into the principals which are mortised at
the apex. The pitched stone floor retains a central drain.

An attractive example of an evolved house, part of which has very little C20
alteration.


Listing NGR: SX8975788435

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

85513

Legacy System:

LBS

End of official list entry

All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.