Wytham Abbey and attached wall

Wytham Abbey and attached wall, Wytham

Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places

Overview

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: I
List Entry Number:: 1368599
Date first listed:: 06-Aug-1952
List Entry Name:: Wytham Abbey and attached wall
Statutory Address:: Wytham Abbey and attached wall, Wytham

The Missing Pieces Project

Share your view of unique places.

Add your contribution

Location

Location of this list entry and nearby places that are also listed. Use our map search to find more listed places.

There is a problem

Use of this mapping is subject to terms and conditions.

This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale.

What is the National Heritage List for England?

The National Heritage List for England is a unique register of our country's most significant historic buildings and sites. The places on the list are protected by law and most are not open to the public.

The list includes:

🏠 Buildings
🏰 Scheduled monuments
🌳 Parks and gardens
⚔️ Battlefields
⚓ Shipwrecks

Find out more about listing

Historic England Archive

Search over 1 million photographs and drawings from the 1850s to the present day using our images archive.

Find Photos

Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: I
List Entry Number:: 1368599
Date first listed:: 06-Aug-1952
Date of most recent amendment:: 24-Jun-1987
List Entry Name:: Wytham Abbey and attached wall
Statutory Address 1:: Wytham Abbey and attached wall, Wytham

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:: Wytham Abbey and attached wall, Wytham

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

County:: Oxfordshire
District:: Vale of White Horse (District Authority)
Parish:: Wytham
National Grid Reference:: SP 47416 08515

Details

SP4708 10/177 WYTHAM Wytham Abbey and attached wall (Formerly listed as Wytham Abbey)

06/08/52

GV I Country house, now flats. Late C15 and C16 for Harcourt family; remodelled and partly rebuilt (to left) for Fifth Earl of Abingdon in 1809-10 by Thomas Cundy. Limestone ashlar; gabled stone slate roof, except Welsh slate, C20 tiles and lead roofs to inner ranges; numerous stone ashlar stacks.

Originally centred around two courtyards which were infilled in early C19, making triple-depth plan. Two storeys and attic; nine window range. Entered by three storey gatehouse in third bay from left: offset corner buttresses; early C19 studded doors set in Tudor-arched doorway; late C15 three-light oriel windows with cinquefoil heads; moulded string course with gargoyles, crenellated parapet; diagonal stair-turret to left and larger crenellated stair-turret to right. Early C19 two window range to left: early C19 three-light mullioned and transomed round-headed windows: two front gables linked by crenellated parapet. Six window range to right: late C15/C16 two- and three-light mullioned round-headed windows, with crenellated parapet linked to three symmetrical gables. Similar recessed bay to right attached at right angles to crenellated limestone rubble wall with octagonal ashlar pier. To right is similar style three window range, and early C19 service range with gabled Welsh slate roof.

Rear of main range: late C15/C16 two-light round-headed windows, and doorway: late C15 three-light round-headed mullioned and transomed windows above similar two- and three-light mullioned windows flank canted bay window with similar five-light window with crenellated parapet. Early C19 four-window range to left has similar mullioned and transomed windows; projecting gabled bays to left, linked by loggia in left side wall.

Interior: early C19 entrance hall leading to staircase hall with open-well stairs. Gatehouse has late C15/C16 reset armorial stained glass: late C15 fireplace with corbel heads to trefoil-panelled shaped overmantle with Harcourt arms above: newel staircase has original stone treads at top. Early C19 panelled room with marble fireplace and plaster ceiling to rear: early C19 Abingdon arms in room right of staircase: early C19 doors and fireplaces throughout. Flat 3 to left of gatehouse: large mid C19 marble fireplace: late C16 reset stained glass panels includes three Tudor roses, kneeling figure, and four heraldic panels with initials IE and ER: four C18 stained glass panels with domestic scenes and Annunciation scene.

The manor house was bought by Sir Richard Harcourt in 1459: it passed to the Norreys family in the late C16 and later James Bertie who became Earl of Abingdon in 1682. When remodelled in 1811 the south courtyard, surrounded by domestic wings, was built over to include the entrance hall and staircase.

(Bodleian library, MS Top. Berkshire, C.51 No.238; National Monuments Record).

Listing NGR: SP4741908519

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:: 249854
Legacy System:: LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Colvin, H M, A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects 1600-1840, (1978), 245
Ditchfield, P H, Page, W, The Victoria History of the County of Berkshire, (1924), 427-9
Pevsner, N, The Buildings of England: Berkshire, (1966), 314

Legal

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.