Summary
An estate farmhouse of C19 date and timber-framed in part, remodelled in 1870 by George Devey for Henry Cazenove.
Reasons for Designation
Lilies Farmhouse, High Street, Weedon, Buckinghamshire, remodelled in 1870 by George Devey, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
Architectural interest:
* the farmhouse has clear architectural interest and shows the inventiveness of the noted mid-Victorian architect George Devey in his use of a variety of vernacular sources in creating his picturesque designs.
Historic interest:
* as an example of Victorian estate architecture and an indicator of the work undertaken on the Lilies estate by Devey for the Cazenove family.
Group value:
* with Lilies High Street, 56 High Street, 73 High Street and Tumbling Acre, 75 High Street, Weedon (all Grade II).
History
Lilies Farmhouse appears to have been initially built in the early C19 and to have been a timber-framed structure in part if not wholly. The estate was owned by Lord Nugent, but following a fire in the main house, Lilies, in 1860 the estate was sold to Henry Cazenove, a stockbroker. Cazenove employed George Devey to rebuild the main house. Devey also undertook alterations to Lilies Farm, which was positioned at the end of the eastern drive and principal approach to the house.
Jill Allibone (see SOURCES) records the date of 'alterations' to Lilies Farmhouse as 1870, the same date as is shown on the exterior of the farmhouse. In addition to the mansion and the farmhouse, Devey is also recorded as designing double cottages at numbers 2 and 4 and numbers 21 and 23 High Street, Weedon, as well as the village school house (now the village hall).
Details
An estate farmhouse of early C19 date and timber-framed in part, probably for Lord Nugent, remodelled in 1870 by George Devey for Henry Cazenove.
MATERIALS & PLAN: partly timber framed with a harled brick exterior walls with raised plaster decoration and a gabled slate roof. The farmhouse has two storeys with entrances on the southern gable end and also the western yard front.
EXTERIOR: the exterior of the farmhouse is rendered across the building and has moulded, decorative panels to the first floor and gables, whose borders are smooth and stand proud of the harled render. These panels take the form of circular, diamond and rectangular shapes on the eastern and western fronts and there are a series of rectangular and circular panels framing decorative motifs on the southern gable end.
The eastern, street frontage has three principal bays defined by the gabled first-floor dormers which have two-light casements. The central and left-hand bays at ground floor level have similar casements and there are smaller lights to the right. The right and left gables bear the date 18 / 70, again standing proud of the harled walling. Square ridge stacks are at centre and left and there is a wrought iron weather vane to the northern gable end.
The south gable end forms a right angle to the eastern road front at right, but is canted at an angle to the left, following the line of the driveway. There is an entrance with a half-glazed door and canted porch supported on moulded brackets. To the left is a square bay window at ground-floor level with a pitched roof.
The western yard front has three gabled dormer windows at first-floor level, as on the road front. These also bear the date 18 / 70 in the lateral gables with a circular panel to the centre. At ground floor level are a porch to left of centre with a gabled roof and a square bay window with pitched roof at right. Other ground floor windows are two-light casements, with a plank door to left of the porch. At first floor level are two-light casements with a taking-in door and jib beam at left.
INTERIOR: the first floor has exposed truss timbers. These appear to be of early C19 date and show that the roof has been raised, and include principals which were notched to receive purlins, but which are now set below the level of the roof pitch. Ground floor rooms have little decoration but include a C19 bracketed fire surround.
