Clock House

Details

TISBURY

1884/0/10008 THE AVENUE 18-NOV-05 Clock House

II House. Constructed in 1828 for Thomas Osmond, Clockmaker. Possibly attributable to his son, William Osmond, Mason and Sculptor to Salisbury Cathedral, appointed 1818. Constructed of randomly coursed though very finely jointed local Upper Portland limestone ashlar under a hipped Welsh slate roof. Chimney shafts of hand made brick. All windows, save one, and external doors are fabricated of uPVC. Plan of simple three-cell arrangement, two single-celled wings, attached, though with no internal connection, to the main block, flank a central range comprising four rooms on the ground floor, arranged each side of a stair and entrance hall; similar arrangement above.

EXTERIOR: Façade of five bays composed of two single storey wings or pavilions, slightly set back and flanking a central range of three bays and two storeys. Left-hand wing, with a slightly raised ridge, retains a single late Victorian sash window of two pane sashes, the right-hand wing has a corresponding blind opening. Main range comprises three windows at first floor with two windows and a central door on the ground floor; all are formed of uPVC. Door, with pretty stained glass fanlight, is surmounted by an attractive canopied porch comprising a deep open pediment on carved stone brackets. Each bracket has a boss, one with the monogramme 'T.O.', the other with the date 1828. Above the porch there is a little inset lunette with 'Clock House' painted within. Secondary elevations are very plain, though all are finished in the finely jointed randomly coursed limestone ashlar. Rear windows and door are also formed of uPVC. Chimney shafts, axially located on the return elevations are formed of brick, the left hand one retaining a Portland stone coping with moulded detail. Interior of the left-hand wing is very plain, that of the right-hand one fitted out as a stable with a hand worked timber stall, panelling, all finished in limewash.

INTERIOR of main range comprises two polite rooms to the front with service rooms to the rear, all arranged around the central open-string stair with stick balusters, turned newels and moulded hardwood hand rail. Much early C19 joinery remains, with window linings and architrave, panelled doors and architraves, picture and dado rails in the front rooms and hall. Right-hand front room has a pair of part-glazed recessed cupboards with recessed panelled doors and a chimney piece, possibly of later C19 date with grate incorporating glazed tiles. First floor rooms are very plain, though retain early C19 two panelled doors and architraves and dado rail to stair landing.

HISTORY: The house was built in 1828 for Thomas Osmond, a noted local Clockmaker (he fabricated the church clock at Tisbury) and one of a dynasty of such craftsmen. It is suggested that it was Osmond's son William (appointed Mason to Salisbury Cathedral in 1818) who built the house for his father in 1828 and indeed furnished his head stone on the death of the older Osmond in 1833. This distinctive memorial, gothic in style and incorporating a clock, still stands in the church yard at Tisbury. William Osmond was one of Pugin's craftsmen who worked with him at Salisbury Cathedral. Osmond was a prolific sculptor and mason, carving a series of tablets in churches throughout the county and a range of pieces in Salisbury Cathedral.

Sources: Pevsner and Cherry Buildings of England Series, Wiltshire (2nd edition) 1975. Sawyer, R. Tisbury Jubilee Book, Tisbury Local History Soc, 2002. Jackson R & Davis, E. Looking around Tisbury, Tisbury Local History Soc, 1980.

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

494643

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Pevsner, N, The Buildings of England: Wiltshire, (1975)

End of official list entry

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