Wix Abbey

Details

WIX OFF BRADFIELD ROAD TM 12 NE

8/278 Wix Abbey 29/4/52 II

House. C16. Red brick in English bond with some stone dressings. Red plain tiled roof. Left off centre left and right red brick chimney stacks. 2 storeys and attic 2 storey C19/C20 hipped gable to left. 2 storey and attic porch off centre right with crow stepped gable. Forward single storey later extension to left. Central band to right bay. 4 buttresses to rear wall. Blocked attic window to porch. 1:2:1:1 first floor, 1:2:0:1 ground floor cross transomed 3 or 4 light windows, there are signs of alteration and blocked Georgian windows in the brickwork. The porch windows are moulded with ovolo moulded pediment. The round headed outer archway with moulded entabalature and steep pediment, flanked by small pedestals. The inner doorway is square headed with original moulded and carved surround. Panelled oak door with original scutcheon plate outside and latch and bolts inside. 2 original plain wooden benches fixed in porch. Wrought iron initials WVM high on the porch are original and refer to a William Vesey, 4 generations of Veseys owned Wix Abbey from 1561 onwards, but M is not identifiable among the wives recorded by Morant. Interior features include original main stairs of 2 straight flights, turned newels with lambs tongue stops, handrails and balusters replaced C19/C20, geometric infill below. 2 original moulded door surrounds to ground floor. Although partly concealed by ceiling paper the original floor structure is present with lambs tongue stop chamfered bridging joists and chamfered ceiling beams, the storey heights are exceptional. Servants' stair to rear of left extension. Stone foundations of a demolished building are nearby and may be medieval. The present building may have been of half H plan. A nunnery was founded in Wix by Walther, Alexander and Edith Mascherell during the 12th century. Information from J. McCann, Historic Buildings Inspector. P. Morant The History and Antiquities of the County of Essex, 1768, I, 469. N. Pevsner Essex 1963. RCHM 2.

Listing NGR: TM1635328959

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

438740

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
An Inventory of Essex North East, (1922)
Pevsner, N, The Buildings of England: Essex, (1965)
Morant, P, The History and Antiquities of the County of Essex, (1768), 469

End of official list entry

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