Details
BARKWAY COKENACH
TL 33 NE
3/10 Cokenach House
27.5.68 including The Wing
(formerly listed as
Cockenach)
GV II*
Country house with service wing, now 2 dwellings. Fragmentary remains of
lodgings range built c.1570 for Sir R. Chester. Main block of 1716 for
R. Chester replacing a gatehouse of c.1603. Altered and extended 1833
for Sir W. Clinton. Further altered c.1900 for A. Crossman and c.1925
for D. Crossman. Red brick with stone dressings. Steeply pitched hipped
tiled roofs. A long double depth block with later accretions. 2 storeys,
attic and cellar. Entrance front 4:3:4, central bays breaking forward
slightly and a full 3 storeys high, appearing to reflect earlier
gatehouse. 4 bays to right are more widely spaced. Ground floor outer
bays and first floor glazing bar sashes with segmental heads, open
moulded frames. Fluted and capped keystones, apron panels below first
floor windows, dummy windows to right bays. Eaves cornice. Central bays
have orange brick dressings, dentilled and moulded brick cornice to
upper storey with shorter sashes, parapet with balustraded panels,
dentilled stone capping. Ground floor: early C20 addition, 2:3:2 across
all but outer bays. Plinth. Ashlar to centre with central entrance,
double raised 6 panelled doors, traceried fanlight, festooned
architrave, aedicular Ionic doorcase with a broken segmental pediment,
flanking tall 4/4 pane sashes with segmental heads, fluted keystones,
outer Ionic pilasters. Outer bays of this addition are red brick and set
back slightly with sashes as on main block, ashlar pilaster strips at
ends, cornice to coped parapet with balustraded panels. Single sashes on
returns. Main roof has three 16 pane sashed dormers to each side of
central bays, pedimented heads with intermediate segmental pediments. 4
cross axial ridge stacks with stone cornices. Further cross axial stacks
on rear roof beyond central valley. Right return is 5 bays, widened to
rear in early C19. Ground floor early C19 canted bay window with steps
up to French window, flanking and first floor sashes as to front. First
floor apron panels, eaves cornice, 2 segmental pedimented dormers. To
left is an early C19 1 bay addition, 2 storeys, first floor blind window
to front. 2 storey canted bay window on return, recessed sashes with
gauged brick flat arched heads. Rainwater head dated 1833. Further left
an early C20 1 storey addition with a small sash and steps up to an
entrance with a Doric surround. Garden elevation is informally 3:3:2. 3
bays to left built out in 1833, rainwater head with date and WHC, sashes
as to front but larger with concealed frames, 2 pedimented dormers. Set
back to centre are 3 early C18 bays with first floor sashes as to front,
a segmental pedimented dormer. Ground floor: early C20 tetrastyle in
antis Ionic verandah, blocking course with arms to centre, rusticated
end piers, returns have tiled and key blocked round headed openings with
terracotta caps to respond shafts. Coffered soffit with lantern
openings. Inner round headed French window, flanking sashes. 2 bays to
right are set back further with a rainwater head dated 1716, sashes as
to front, 2 pedimented dormers. Interior: extensively remodelled c.1900
and c.1925 with neo-classical details. Large Corinthian entrance hall
with slate dot paving. Some C18 fielded panelling in billiard room.
Extending to rear left at right angles is early C19 service wing, a
rebuilding of C16 lodgings range. Red brick. Hipped slate roof. Inner
elevation to garden is 6 bays. 2 storeys. Recessed glazing bar sashes
with gauged brick flat arched heads. Stone coped parapet. Towards left
and to centre are part glazed doors, first floor right blind opening.
2 bay rear end of service range has glazing bar sashes, 6/9 panes on
first floor. Outer elevation is largely plum stock brick. Towards front
a 2 bay projection, ground floor sashes with thick glazing bars, first
floor canted oriel with tile hanging, 8 light flat headed dormer. 3 bays
to left, ground floor has an entrance with double panelled doors and 2
sashes with thick glazing bars all in gauged brick blind arcading, first
floor sashes. Further left an early C19 3 x 3 bay square 2 storey block
with a hipped slate roof. Elevation to small service yard has a central
entrance, double raised 6 panelled door with a fanlight in a C20
pedimented doorcase, first floor central blind opening. Outer recessed
sashes with gauged brick flat arched heads. Boxed eaves. Garage addition
on left return. Sashes to rear. Plans of the earlier buildings were
drawn in 1578 when the house was being considered as a stop on a royal
progress. Formerly known as Cockenhatch. (VCH 1914: Pevsner 1977: RCHM
Typescript).
Listing NGR: TL3956236146
