Foscombe

Details

ASHLEWORTH FOSCOMBE LANE SO 82 NW 2/1 Foscombe II* Country house: probably c1860, by and for T. Fulljames. Coursed squared blue lias, ashlar dressings to windows and eaves, slate roof, lead flat. Six-window front, 2 rooms deep, slightly irregular plan; 2 storeys, attics and tower. Gothic revival house of irregular outline. Ground floor windows generally with relieving arches. Tower towards right end front: boarded door with decorative iron hinges up a stone step: marble colonnette each side, Tudor-arch, hoodmould. Chamfered corner to right, slight set back, with single light window of trefoils on return. Wall to right plain, set back part way along for chimney. To left two 2-light mullion and transom windows, rounded trefoil tops, carved roundel over, linked hoodmould. Slight set-back to left, paired and triple lancets, opening to cellar below first. Boarded door at left end replacing 2-light window, quatrefoil in square and relieving arch over. Single-storey wing beyond demolished mid C20. First floor, 2-light mullion and transom window in tower, circular trefoil heads to lights, hoodmould over. To left inset canted bay under relieving arch, 3-light mullion and transom, leaf carving between heads, under half-hip roof, moulded stone eaves and verge, carved heads below stone rainwater head on right, leaf carving to large kneeler left. To left 2 and 3-light mullioned windows, each under a half hip, stone boxes at bases for rainwater, dog and fox head supporting centre one. To left second, shorter tower with single-light window. Roof: tall pyramid on right return over canted bay: hipped end, lead flat with decorative iron railing extending behind tower: triangular dormer with trefoil window. Tower: single-light window, string course, colonnettes above on corners, with 3-light window, trefoils set back behind low arch, plain ashlar above, leaf carving on top: string course, crenellations at parapet, rising higher at corners. Chimney rises against right side as buttress, 'T'-plan with carved cap. To left decorative iron finials to half hips, lower ridge to left of inset bay, alternate ridge tiles crested, well in roof behind. Chimney to left of inset bay off ridge, 4 square flues, decorative cap: 3 octagonal flues off ridge against second tower: pyramid top, triangular dormer, with 2-light ventilator in timber, quatrefoils each light, further pyramid above. Right return, canted bay on left, paired large pane sash windows, string course over; 2-light window to right; end of stone conservatory, plinth, 1-3-1-lights, circles through wall below sill with iron ventilators, small crenellations to sill, trefoil head to each light, 2 circles over, moulded string to parapet with turrets over king mullions. Hipped slate roof, originally glazed gable and roof. First floor 3-light window, shouldered heads, to bay, 2-light window to right. Moulded eaves, higher for bay and over right window, with leaf decoration: decorative ends to eaves between with leaf decoration to stone rainwater head. Hipped roof, tall pyramid to canted bay with triangular dormers, tall iron finial: railing to lead flat. Rear projecting beyond conservatory. Interior: all interior woodwork unpainted pine; shutters to many windows. Main stairs, string with toothing to underside, quatrefoils in plank to lower part, open above, moulded handrail, carved, square newels. Stair rises to attics. Entrance hall to left of stairs triangular stone fireplace, arched opening, stag in roundel over: ceiling beams off heavy stone corbels, carved shields and leaves: exposed joists. Four panel doors in heavy timber surrounds, crenellated to head in stair hall, otherwise with jambs rising above head. Drawing room to right of tower: stone fireplace, marble corner columns, decorative plaster cornice, French doors to conservatory, as from stair hall. To left of stair hall good stone fireplace moved from first floor. Dining room behind: buffet in recess to left, linen-fold panelling to doors, timber surround, coved, panelled head, crenellated cornice, panelling carried up to ceiling. Moulded timber cornice to room. Stone fireplace, Gothic pilasters, 3 roundels in lintel: French doors to conservatory in recess on left, balancing recess on right, both as buffet. Two trefoil-arched stone fireplaces first floor, 4 panel doors. Queen post trusses with iron straps below lead flat. Smoking room in top of tower, door to lead flat, corbelled external stone steps to reach tower roof. House generally little altered. (1887 sale catalogue, Gloucester Record Office; D. Verey, Gloucestershire, the Vale and the Forest of Dean, 1970)

Listing NGR: SO8009126722

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

134292

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Verey, D, The Buildings of England: Gloucestershire 2 The Vale and The Forest of Dean, (1970)

End of official list entry

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