The Red House

Details

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SU 72 NW
SP1045

FROXFIELD
COCKSHOTT LANE
The Red House

II

House. Designed by Alfred Hoare Powell in 1909 for the poet Edward Thomas. The house was built by Geoffrey Henry Lupton (1882-1949), who had studied under Gimson, on his own land, and some interior fittings are by Edward Barnsley.

L-shaped building in vernacular style. Built of handmade orange 2½ inch bricks in English bond with deep handmade tiled, gambrel roof with timber framed attic behind. 3 Tudor style brick chimney stacks with round-headed arches. One storey and attics. The principal feature of the north or entrance front is a projecting porch with octagonal oak piers on brick pilasters and a room above. Cambered oak door with studs and fine iron hinges and sidelights.

To right is one penticed dormer lighting the first floor corridor and two cambered casements. To the right is a brick addition with tiled roof formerly to house the water tank. This has two cambered headed oak doors with studs and hinges and ingenious wooden ladder with cut out semi-circular holes for steps. The wall which links the house and former water tank is of rat trap bond. Left side elevation has an end brick chimney-stack with tumbling in and three casements. The garden front faces due south to make full use of the magnificent view.

First floor has one penticed dormers and right side tile hung gable which lights staircase. Ground floor has 3 cambered casements with hipped bench seat built under a projecting bread oven which was specially requested by the Thomases and recorded in ‘World Without End’ by Helen Thomas. Oak studded door under gable. Wing with lounge and principal bedroom above has one oak three light segment to each floor.

Interior has lobby with oak beams with run out stops brick paved floor. Plain staircase of brick with treads edged with oak and half flight leading to garden. Sitting room has oak ceiling (now painted) with two axial beams with run out stops and similar ceiling beams. Fireplace has oak bressummer with run out stops and splayed brick opening. Above is a wide oak shelf with brackets. Hearth has large herringbone bricks edged with oak. Very wide oak floorboards with oak pegs. Three plank oak door with studs and triangular shaped iron hinges.

Drawing Room to right of lobby has ceiling with chamfered oak beams with lamb’s tongue stops. Cambered fireplace with shelf above and double cupboard by Lupton to right of fireplace with three planks with elaborate pintle hinges. Kitchen has a three plank door with hinges and spine beam with two inch chamfer and run out stops and similar floor joists. Built-in oak dresser by Lupton has three drawers to centre with octagonal iron hinges flanked by two oak doors of three planks with iron studs and catches and plate racks above with hooks. First floor corridor has exposed jowled upright posts. The principal bedroom has a curved oak windowseat. Another bedroom retains an original firegrate and an oak shelf to the right. There is an inserted cupboard by Edward Barnsley in another bedroom.

Edward Thomas lived in the Red House between 1909 and 1913 and was killed at Arras in 1917. The house was the inspiration for two of his poems New House” and “Wind and Mist".

End of official list entry

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