The Mount

Reasons for Designation

The Mount, Kirtlington is designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons: * It is an example of a little altered, early to mid-C19 genteel house in which the good stonework, plan form and most fittings survive; * The carved stone insets add interest to the history of the house; * The house adds to the rich diversity of historic buildings in the village including Kirtlington Park, the Manor House and parish church, with which it has group value.

Details

KIRTLINGTON

1714/0/10065 BLETCHINGDON ROAD 29-JUL-09 The Mount

GV II Detached house. Early to mid-C19 with a later C19 rear outshut which was extended during the 1960s.

MATERIALS: It is built of coursed limestone with dressed limestone quoins, slate roofs and yellow brick gable end stacks which were probably formerly rendered.

PLAN: It is a two-storey, two-cell house of single depth plan with an outshut running the full length of the building at the rear. There is a small cellar under part of the house. Stairs rise transversely opposite the front door, which is roughly central. The outshut is reached from both rear rooms. A partition wall at the rear of the parlour may have been removed. Doors lead to cupboards under the stairs. On the first floor a small landing leads to two bedrooms. Between the rooms is a small unlit closet.

EXTERIOR: The front elevation is symmetrical in three bays. The entrance in a simple timber architrave has a door of six panels the lower panels flush, the upper panels, which have been replaced, moulded, and all under a replaced canopy on moulded brackets, copying the original. Windows are six-over-six pane unhorned sashes under flat stone arches with a slightly raised keystone and with stone cills. Above the entrance is a blind opening, similarly treated. The rear upper floor has a pair of small timber four-pane casements. The outshut is separately built from the main house and has C20 casements. A carved stone finial and a stone tablet inscribed 'Anno 1567 MFPL/MCET' are incorporated in the gable wall.

INTERIOR: Stairs rise between partition walls opposite the entrance. The partition to the north is of stone, that to the south of lathe and plaster and may be a later installation. It is possible that the stairs were partitioned off from the southern room when the outshut was added. The parlour to the north has a mid-C19 cast iron fireplace in a moulded timber surround flanked by shallow alcoves, one with a small piece of moulded stone or plaster inset below it. Doors on the ground floor are of four panels, first floor doors are ledge and brace construction with broad boards. Ground floor windows have folding panelled shutters, with catches or stay bars. The entrance lobby and room to the south have stone flag floors.

HISTORY: The Mount is an example of a small genteel house dating from the early to mid-C19 and stands in a plot which resembles that depicted on the 1875 OS and probably the 1815 enclosure map. The boundary wall is dated 1923. It is said to have been the station master's house for Enslow Station. Kirtlington Park to the north of the village was built in 1742-6 by William Smith and James Sanderson for Sir James Dashwood. The inset carved stonework at the Mount may indicate an occupant with antiquarian interests.

The house displays a hierarchy rising from the parlour with its alcoves flanking an elegant fireplace, panelled doors and shutters with catches, to the more practical kitchen with its flag floors and more robust shutters and finally to the first floor with its simple ledge and brace doors.

REASONS FOR DESIGNATION: The Mount, Kirtlington is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons: * It is an example of a little altered, early to mid-C19 genteel house in which the plan form and most fittings survive; * The carved stone insets add interest to the history of the house; * The house adds to the rich diversity of historic buildings in the village including Kirtlington Park, the Manor House and parish church, with which it has group value.

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

506405

Legacy System:

LBS

End of official list entry

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