Kingham House

Details

KINGHAM CHURCH STREET
SP2423-2523 (West side)
17/134 Kingham House
27.8.57 (Formerly listed as The
Rectory)

GV II*

Rectory, now house. Circa 1688 for Reverend William Dowdeswell, rectory of
Kingham; minor later additions and alterations. Limestone ashlar; hipped stone
slate roof (in 2 sections to rear) with wooden modillion eaves cornice. 2
storeys and attic with floor band and semi-basement with moulded plinth. 5 bays.
18-paned glazing bar sashes in moulded architraves to ground floor and first
floor and 5 two-light mullion windows to semi-basement, second from left without
mullion. Central 6-panel door with decorative rectangular overlight in moulded
architrave, approached by straight flight of 9 steps with turned balusters and
ball finials to top. Head of winged angel and segmental pediment broken by
Dowdeswell coat-of-arms above. 3 symmetrically placed gabled dormers in bottom
of roof slope. Left return has windows to far left and right, latter blind and 3
two-light chamfered mullion windows to chamfered rubblestone plinth, right
infilled, Right return in 3 bays, with small rusticated stack in bottom of roof
slope to left, has 2-storey C19 lean-to and other lean-tos abutting. Rear in 5
bays with 18-paned glazing bar sashes in moulded architraves, 2 to left on
ground floor infilled and replaced by mid-C19 tripartite window made up from
original architraves with French casement to centre. Central Tudor-style porch
(c.1853) with coped verges and 3 ball finials has moulded round-headed outer
arch with hoodmould and moulded rectangular windows to sides. Half-glazed leaded
double doors in late C17 moulded surround with entablature and outline of
original segmental pediment visible above porch. Gabled dormers in roof slope
with rusticated ashlar ridge stacks to both sections. Interior. Left
ground-floor room (dining room now drawing room) has almost complete original
raised and fielded bevelled panelling with cornice. Contemporary carved chimney
piece to back wall formerly had reused Jacobean panelling with date "1688"
above. 6-panel door leads to central passage-way, also with raised and fielded
bevelled panelling. Double doors with plastered surround and semi-circular
fanlight (c.1853) to back. 6-panel door to right of passage leads to right room
with fluted frieze and dado panelling. Two C18 inset round-headed cupboards with
pilastered surrounds to right wall and elliptical arches to back wall, left
blind and right with C19 glazed door. Marble fireplace to centre. Open-well
staircase of c.1770 in hall to rear of passage: wreathed and ramped handrail
with circular fluted newels and slender turned balusters, 3 to each tread. Open
string carved with St. Andrew's cross, concave lozenge and Greek-keylike
ornament; ramped dado with fluted pilasters. Cornice in hall has rosette emblems
and egg and dart moulding. Round-headed pilastered doorway to back wall,
off-centre with front door. Small room to rear left corner off hall has original
raised and fielded panelling and bolection-moulded corner fireplace. Room to
rear right corner (present kitchen) was formerly a reception room and has
plaster cornice. Oak floor boards throughout to ground floor, those to central
passage and staircase hall with late C20 painted diamond patterns. First floor.
Frieze to landing has festooned garlands with rosette emblems above. Panelled
doors with panelled reveals and fluted heads lead to bedrooms. Several of these
are sub-divided but retain original plaster cornices and dado panelling. Front
right room has more elaborate cornice and round-headed arch in right wall (now
infilled but originally forming bed alcove) with consoled 'keystone'
square-headed panelled doors with moulded entablatures to either side. Carved
fireplace surround to back wall. Rear left room has stripped pine panelling
(raised and fielded) with cornice and mid-C19 Tudor Gothic fireplace. Panelled
window shutters throughout to ground and first floors. Attic reached through
back stairs with late C17 turned balusters to top in rear right corner of house,
has several original plank and panelled doors and a late C17 stone fireplace.
Semi-basement reached by stone steps immediately below main staircase has
stone-flag floors and plank and panelled doors. Original kitchen has massive
infilled inglenook fireplace. Corner fireplace below rear left room has infilled
cambered arch. Large barrel-vaulted cellars extending below lawn to rear. The
chancel of the Church of St. Andrew (q.v.) was rebuilt in 1688 for Reverend
William Dowdeswell and the mid-C19 work in the house was carried out at the same
date and in the same style as the restoration of the church.
(Buildings of England: Oxfordshire, p674)
[2580]


Listing NGR: SP2583923762

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

254029

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Pevsner, N, Sherwood, J, The Buildings of England: Oxfordshire, (1974), 674

End of official list entry

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