Icomb Place

Details

SP 22 SW
2/204

ICOMB
ICOMB VILLAGE
Icomb Place

25.8.60

GV
I
Manor house. Rebuilt c1420, probably by Sir John Blaket (q.v. monument in the Church of St Mary, Icomb) on the site of an earlier moated manor house, altered mid-late C17, partially demolished early-mid C20.

The former plan comprised ranges of buildings set around two courtyards with the hall at the centre and the northern (entrance) range set skew to the remainder of the plan. Most of the range forming the southern side of this plan, was demolished early-mid C20. C20 flat-roofed garaging added to the west range not of special interest. Coursed squared and dressed limestone of two colours, dressed stone quoins. Some areas of walling degenerate into a rubble-built construction. Stone slate roof with ashlar stacks.

Entrance front: two storeys with two-storey porch breaking forwards slightly off-centre left flanked by two original wall chimneys which project out at first floor level. Irregular fenestration to a five-bay front. Fenestration comprises three two-light windows with hollow chamfers, pointed heads, carved spandrels and stopped hoods, two three-light stilted-headed hollow-chamfered stone-mullioned casements with carved spandrels and stopped hoods. Two similar but four-light windows to the ground and first floors of the right gable end. Two single-light and one two-light stone-mullioned casement with rectangular surrounds also lighting the entrance front. C20 painted double doors within a moulded Tudor-arched surround to porch. Forward facing buttresses either side of the doorway. Fine four-light window within a rectangular surround with ogee-curved heads with a pair of oval openings above each and a stopped hood. Pierced Tudor-arched rere-arch to interior splay. Battlemented parapet.

East range: two and a half storeys. Five Cotswold dormers with C20 wooden casements timber lintels and horizontal glazing bars. Irregular fenestration to the ground and first floors. Three restored cross windows to the first floor, one within a moulded architrave. Single light, two- and three-light stone-mullioned casements, some probably mid C17 with hollow chamfers, some C19. Two C19 stone-mullioned canted bays to the ground floor. South front with wing with half-hipped extension projects forwards to the right. Fenestration to gable end and left-hand return comprises C20 single light and two-light casements. C19 porch with 'Tudor'-arched entrance with foliate spandrels to the left. Tall C15 stone-mullioned cross window to hall to the left. The lower lights of this window have pointed heads while the upper, taller lights have ogee-curved heads with a pair of oval openings above and stopped hoods.

One and a half storey range (probably late C18-C19) rebuilt parallel with the hall, breaks forwards to the left. Three two-light half dormers to the upper floor. Fenestration comprises C20 two-light casements. Plain heraldic shield within surround decorated with blind tracery (possibly reused) in the right gable end. Blocked opening above. West front now largely obscured by garage and fencing.

Exterior viewed from the courtyard; north side of great hall lit by two tall C15 cross-mullioned windows lighting the south wall (previously described). Plank door within a moulded four-centred arched surround with casement mouldings. Quatrefoil in the spandrels work plain heraldic shields at the centre of each. Similar archway (now obscured by the C19 porch) on the south side of the former screens passage. The solar (west) wing to the right of the great hall is of two storeys with a six-light hollow-chamfered stone-mullioned casement with stilted heads to each light. Central king mullion and a stopped hood to the ground floor. Five-light stone-mullioned window with ogee-curved cinquefoil heads with tracery and stopped hood above.

Two-storey stone-mullioned bay window to the right in the angle between the west range and the entrance front. Ogee-curved stone-mullioned windows with tracery with small trefoils above to the ground floor. Ogee-curved cinquefoil-headed lights and tracery to the upper floor windows. Stopped hood with large stops in the form of human heads over the upper floor window. String between floors. Parapet with beast's head gargoyle. This window may once have formed an access between the west range and the north (entrance) range.

The east range has a mid C20, C17 style panelled gallery, lit by a three-light casement. Single panel with carved dragon below. Gable-end, axial and lateral stacks with moulded cappings. Stepped coping and roll-cross saddles to the entrance front.

Interior: great hall open to rafters, five bays with original arch-braced collar-beam roof trusses, triple purlins and three tiers of curved wind bracing. Base of some form of lantern visible half-way along the ridge in west end. Former partition dividing the hall from the screens passage at the opposite end now removed. Two blocked Tudor-arched doorways in the east wall, which would formerly have given access to the kitchen and buttery. Late C16-early C17 fireplace flanked by fluted Ionic pilasters and panelled segmental-headed pediment. Moulded console bracket at the centre of the entablature in the south wall. Mid C20, C17 style panelled gallery with four panels with carved dragons. The solar wing has a wagon ceiling and a fireplace with moulded rectangular surround. C17 carved oak cupboard door with nulling at the top in an upstairs room. Wall painting c. 1.5m square depicting a sailing ship in full sail in red/brown paint in an attic bedroom on the west range. Roll-moulded tie beams in north (entrance) range. Numerous flat-chamfered Tudor-arched doorways and fireplaces throughout.

From the Blakets the house passed successively through the female line into the hands of the Baskerville and Milbourne families. During the C16 it belonged to the Whitney family. In 1712 it belonged to Henry Cope son of Thomas and Elizabeth Whitney (q.v. monument in the south transept).

Listing NGR: SP2109022430

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

130937

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Cooke, R, West Country Houses, (1957)
Icomb Place in Transaction of Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society, (1882-1883), .

Other
Rev.David Royce, Icomb; Its History, Topography and Architectural Antiquities, Read August 1869, Reports Association, Worcester Architectural Society

End of official list entry

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