Details
ST 31 SE DOWUSH WAKE CP
Oxenford House, and The
1210/2/38 Cottage attached to west
gable, with pump
13/3/73 (formerly listed as Oxenford
Farmhouse)
II*
Farmhouse, C17 ,with eastern extension dated 1727, and The Cottage a C19 crosswing. Ham stone, mostly cut and squared, but first extension in ashlar, and cottage in rubble with ashlar dressings: thatched roof between stepped coped gables, but cottage has Welsh slates. 'L '-plan, 2 storeys with attic; north elevation 4 bays with cottage as further crosswing. Bay 1 is the dated extension, with plinth, string course, rusticated quoins both ends, and roof set higher; towards west end an inserted semi-circular arched casement of uncertain, possibly later C18, date; remaining windows are rectangular-leaded casements with internal ferramenta and iron-framed opening lights, 4-light bay 2, the.1ower with a label; 3-light bay 3, both set higher than the remainder, the upper cut into the thatch and with 2 small oval windows below; 4-light upper bay 4; lower bay 4 has a boarded door in heavy frame with casement sidelight, set under a label end protected by a thatched hood carried on reconstructed stone columns. The cottage projects for 2 bays, with a C20 horizontal-bar casement left of lower bay 2 under a rusticated voussoired lintel, and two 3-light leaded casements with similar lintels to first floor; lower bay 1 has a boarded door in a segmental-arched opening, and plain north gable. East gable of main house has rusticated quoins, stepped rusticated stones under gable coping, and string courses between each floor; hollow-chamfer mullioned windows in chamfered recesses, rectangular-leaded with iron-framed opening lights, 4-light to ground and first floors and 3-light to attic, all with labels, but the attic window has in addition a rusticated surround, above which, also in a rusticated surround, is a datestone incised 'JSS 1727', (possibly one of the Speke family, who held the manor). Set into the garden wall abutting this gable is a second datestone, inscribed 'TP 1682'. Rear elevation has hollow-chamfer mullioned windows. Inside, the ground floor east room has early C18 panelling, a bolection-mould fireplace set across the south-east corner, and panelled window seats; also on ground floor one early C17 door; on first floor several early C18 2-panel doors; roof frame has large collar-tie trusses, originally closed, and some wattle and daub remains. About half a metre from the north crosswing, on the north side, a cast-iron pump, with simple column having 3 collars, widening at the top for a collared spout, and having a long handle with ball termination and cap with bud finial.
THE COTTAGE: ATTACHED TO WEST GABLE OF OXENFORD HOUSE AND THE PUMP WERE INCLUDED ON 30TH NOVEMBER 1987
Listing NGR: ST3613512490
