Details
NEWPORT PAGNELL
SP 8844 Tickford Abbey
645/1/10061
09-MAR-00
GV II
House, now nursing and residential care home. Circa 1757 for John Hooton, Gentleman and lace merchant; altered and added to early-mid C19; and again 1881-9 by Edward Swinfen Harris for Philip Butler, JP; futher internal alterations late-C20 for use as residential home. Of ashlar limestone between slender end-pilasters with a rendered crenallated parapet and slated roofs with octagonal shafted stacks. Square on plan, the main front facing W, of 3 storeys and 5 bays, symmetrical, with a diminutive central porch, altered C20 to a lobby, with side access. The end bays of the ground floor have paired timber windows in square C19 crenellated bays. At the centre, above the porch, a narrow canted 2-storey oriel rising to parapet level with heavily-moulded 6-pane timber windows. To either side, on the first floor, similar cross-windows set in line-rusticated surrounds. Similar windows to the 2nd floor, but without the surrounds. Grouped stacks over bay 2 and between bays 4 and 5. The main front elevation is continued to the S by a 2-storey lean-to and a single-storey service range with a crenellated parapet set back.The north elevation, overlooking the lawns and river, returns at 3 storeys for 2 bays. Blocked door in a rusticated and pedimented doorcase, with bust of monk claimed to be medieval, but probably C17 or early-C18. To the left, a large C19 5-light transomed window containing some stained glass in the upper lights. Further to the left, an added 2-storey bay with end pilasters, a canted bay window with a parapet and plate-glass windows on the ground floor, and above a bold string, 3 rectangular windows to the first floor, the upper lights with small panes. Triglyph frieze with sunflower emblems and a parapet concealing a pitched slate roof and iron finial, the wind-vane inscribed PB 1882'. This building continues further to the left at 2-storeys under a hipped slate roof with arcaded red ridge tiles and finial. Three 8-pane windows to the upper level, above a strong mid-wall string. The gable end is pebbledashed, with open eaves and tripartite sashes. The rear elevations are altered.
Interior: considerably altered C19 and C20. Arched and moulded Gothic entrance door leading to stair hall, the dog-leg stair leading up to the left having a good C19 moulded cast-iron balustrade. Offset to the rear of the hall, a second hallway, entered through a stone Tuscan arcade of 2 segmental arches, has a coved ceiling with exposed battens; a cross-window at the end; and a chair rail. Off to the left of the stair hall, is a reception room with a moulded open plasterwork cornice, and a timber fireplace with a bracketed shelf, supported by large inverted consoles. To the rear, on the N, the late-C19 dining room has a large moulded recess on the E wall and moulded cross-beams on deep cut brackets rising from stone corbels; panelled ceiling with moulded and stained ribe. Panelled doors and C19 fireplaces throughout.
History: On the site of a small Cluniac abbey founded in 1100; rebuilt after partial destruction by fire in c. 1311; partially occupied as a house after the early-C16 supression of minor houses; the earlier buildings finally cleared away c. 1757 prior to the building of the existing house.
References:
Hunt J and Mynard D, Newport Pagnell; A Pictorial History, 1995, figs 34-5;
Pevsner N & Williamson E, Buckinghamshire, Buildings of England series, 1994, p 580;
Simpson J, History of the Town of Newport Pagnell;, 1868, pp 40-53;
Royal Commission on Historical Monuments, Buckinghamshire (North), 1913, pp 209-210;
Victoria County History, Vol iv, pp 416-7.
Listing NGR: SP8827844016
