Details
DYMOCK PRESTON
SO 63 SE
4/97 Preston Court
2.10.54
GV II*
Large country house. Late C16 or very early C17, altered early
C18, early Cl9, mid C20. Brick-nogged or rendered panel timber
framing on stone plinth; right return painted Flemish bond
brickwork, tiled roof, stone slates to rear. Six-bay front, one
room deep, large 'U' plan, 3-storeys. Windows mullion and transom
unless stated otherwise. Front elevation: framing to left of
porch 2 panels high ground floor, 3 first, latter square. Porch
close studded, 2 panels high per floor: to right heavy main posts,
heavy studs adjoining posts with downward braces to bressumer;
first floor, with thin close studding between to both floors, 2
panels high. Second floor larger panels below windows, close
studding between windows to right and to gables. Ground floor: on
left 6-light, reserved cyma chamfer, window; main post in angle
against porch, rising 2 floors. Porch projects from third bay:
wide flat-headed opening, ovolo moulding: pilaster each side with
consoles supporting jetty to front only, double ovolo to jetty
beam, ball pendants from corner posts at ends. To right 6-light
and 4-light windows, mid C20 framing beneath: projecting end to
brick return on right. First floor: 5-light reserved cyma chamfer
window, with console each side supporting jetty over. Three-light
window in porch gable, carved bargeboards, timber finial to apex.
To right original 5-light window on left, 4-light on right, end to
brick return on right: consoles to support shallow jetty above.
Second floor: 6 gables, each with 4-light casement window beneath,
carved bargeboards, timber finial to apex. Left 2 gables narrower
than those to right: wider studs, tie beam only; on right thinner
studs, collar and tie beam. Right return: brick: four 2-light
windows per floor, elliptical brick arches over except to second
floor, flat brick heads. Half-glazed door between first and second
windows from left on ground floor, plain timber pilasters, semi-
circular head with timber pediment over. Plain brick string course
to each floor; dentil eaves course. Chimney on ridge right of
centre, six diamond-set brick flues, with brick bridging between
tops. Left return: timber framed. Close studded, 2-panel high
ground floor, 3-panel between windows first floor, 2 square panels
high to front second floor. Ground floor, 3-light window on right,
mid C20 enlargement of earlier, blocked opening. Four-light to
left, small 2-light, 3-light at left end: weatherboard to first
floor bressumer. Above, on right, blocked 4-light casement window:
4-light casement to left, 2 slit windows between studs, 2-light
window on left, probably originally 3, but right-hand light
blocked. Slight jetty to second floor, separate head and
bressumer, latter with ovolo moulding to bottom edge. Eaves to
front gable on right; straight braces to collar/wallplate from
post, with small gable over, left slope extended down to just above
floor level. Further eaves: gabled wall on left, braces to tie
beam, 3-light casement but 2 blocked since before 1928: 'V' struts
above collar. To right brick chimney base, 6 diamond-set brick
flues, with bridging between caps; as base set lower down, rear
flues rise out of roof slope. In rear courtyard, square projection
for stairs on right, lean-to roof on adjoining sides. Large
external stone chimney base on left, 3 brick flues as other
chimneys.
Interior: main wall on left behind porch, with separate open main
frame against it in left room for full height of building. Heavy
chamfer to main ceiling beams. Newel stair. Stone arch to
fireplace, left front room, wide fireplace behind, with chamfered
elliptical stone lintel. Dust-ledge panelling in small panels
front right room, strapwork frieze over dentils, moulded cornice.
Fluted Ionic pilasters to fireplace, 2 semi-circular headed panels
over, flanked terms: 6-panel door. Firs floor chamfered flat
stone lintel to fireplaces left and centre front. Second floor
hanging cheese rack in centre front: timber crane now loose in
left front room, original location not clear. Two pairs butt
purlins to rear slope front, square ridge. Built in 2 stages, left
wing and 2 bays front separately framed from right-hand part.
Flues rising out of roof slope on left suggest a change of plan,
possibly during construction. Front elevation was completely
rendered over at some stage, certainly by late C18 or early C19:
this render removed after 1928 when sash window on ground floor
right replaced to match others in facade. Forms group with church
(q.v.)
(Photographs at N.M.R., 1928; D. Verey, Gloucestershire, the Vale
and the Forest of Dean, 1970)
Listing NGR: SO6794634583
