Buildings Research with Summaries
2 Bell Lane is a modest cottage, located on the south side of the lane, which is all that remains of an ancient river access and very likely access for fording the Thames, pre-dating the medieval bridge. Bell Lane also formed the boundary between Bensington and Henley, No 2 Bell Lane being on the Henley side. A brick and flint building of 17th and 18th-century dates, originally of 2 bays, but extended; a cellar and inglenook fireplace. Some timber-framed walls are visible, now inside, but originally they may have been outside walls. No measured drawings were made.
73, 73a &75 Bell Street is an un-prepossessing house with a rendered façade, cross windows, and a raised front roof over 2/3 of its frontage. The attic (only No 73/73a were inspected) reveals a timber-framed building of quality and age. Its arch-braced central truss, wind braces, purlins, and rafters are smoke-blackened. The original roof remains and survives well under the raised and slated front roof slope, as well as at the unaltered back. No dendro dating was possible as the timbers are fast grown with insufficient growth rings, but a mid C15th building date is estimated for this large 4-bay building, just outside the medieval town boundary, where there was opportunity to build on plots with substantial width.
This is the dendrochronology report for 79a Bell Street (The Bear). See also the full research report.
93 – 95 Bell Street is a 4-bay timber-framed building of outstanding quality, this however only becomes apparent inside. The rendered façade and sash windows give it the appearance of an ‘early C 18th’ building (Listing entry). The double bay g.f. room of No. 95 has impressive, hollow chamfer moulding on posts, braces, and transverse beam. These are also used in the first floor chambers. The adjoining bays on the south side were part of an open hall. Parts of the arch-braced truss survive in the attic of No. 93. It was dendro dated to 1436-44.
A rear extension of slight, late framing was dendro dated to 1758/9, most likely belonging to the period when the building was a bakery; a large bread oven being mentioned in the Beating of the Bounds of 1777, the boundary between Henley and Bensington running through the building.
This is the dendrochronology report for 93-95 Bell Street. See also the full research report.
Grade II* Listed
This is part of a medieval hall with two cross wings. The central, two-bay hall and its cross-passage were dendro-dated to 1405. The northern two-bay wing appears to be of the same date, as it shares its south timber-framed sidewall with the north gable of the hall.
It was built on the edge of ‘Countess Gardens’, possibly on part of the former royal manorial site abandoned by 1381.
Both cross-wings were cut back and the front was rebuilt in brick with parapet c 1800.
No. 74 appears to have been the two-bay service end, adjoining the cross passage and the original entrance would have been from there, probably in the form of two doors serving a buttery and pantry. The front was reduced in length when the new brick wall was built replacing the timber framing and when the roof was hipped back over both cross wings.
Please see separate detailed reports on each cottage and the building as a whole:
Grade II* Listed
This is part of a medieval hall with two cross wings. The central, two-bay hall and its cross-passage were dendro-dated to 1405. The northern two-bay wing appears to be of the same date, as it shares its south timber-framed sidewall with the north gable of the hall.
It was built on the edge of ‘Countess Gardens’, possibly on part of the former royal manorial site abandoned by 1381.
Both cross-wings were cut back and the front was rebuilt in brick with parapet c 1800.
No 76 is the two-bay hall. Its entrance is still directly into the cross passage, the original main entrance.
The wall post in the centre of the rear wall of the hall – best seen at first floor level – has remnants of a pilaster and capital from which the east arch brace rises.
Two tiers of cusped, chamfered wind braces, now only clearly visible at the attic stairs, would have made an impressive roof over the open hall together with the arch braced central truss. All roof timbers still show sooting from the former open hearth on the hall floor.
A large brick stack was inserted into the north wall between hall and cross wing, serving fire places in both, when the hall was chambered over, probably in the C16th.
Please see separate detailed reports on each cottage and the building as a whole:
Grade II* Listed
This is part of a medieval hall with two cross wings. The central, two-bay hall and its cross-passage were dendro-dated to 1405. The northern two-bay wing appears to be of the same date, as it shares its south timber-framed sidewall with the north gable of the hall.
It was built on the edge of ‘Countess Gardens’, possibly on part of the former royal manorial site abandoned by 1381.
Both cross-wings were cut back and the front was rebuilt in brick with parapet c 1800.
No 78 is now a 2 ½ bay cross wing. In the 3rd bay the joists have been cut to create an opening, with corresponding alterations in the roof above. Was this a space for a hoist? (NB much grain was found under the 1st floor and attic floor boards.)
There is a large tension brace in the 1st floor north wall, the same as that seen in the wall opposite, which forms the north gable wall of the hall; demonstrating that both are of one build.
The front attic retains remnants of the former gabled roof, at right angles to the hall. This was cut back, when the house was re-fronted in brick.
Please see separate detailed reports on each cottage and the building as a whole:
This is the dendrochronology report for 78 Bell Street. See also the full research report.
74-76-78 Bell Street SU 761829
Grade II* Listed
This is a medieval hall with two cross wings. The central, two-bay hall and its cross-passage were dendro-dated to 1405. The northern two-bay wing appears to be of the same date, as it shares its south timber-framed sidewall with the north gable of the hall.
It was built on the edge of ‘Countess Gardens’, possibly on part of the former royal manorial site abandoned by 1381.
Both cross-wings were cut back and the front was rebuilt in brick with parapet c 1800.
The building was owned by Brakspear’s Brewery from the late C18 and was its principal maltings until ca.1900 with a large malt house attached to the back of No.76 (still shown on the 1878 OS map). The malt house was demolished, probably when the house was subsequently divided into 3.
NB No. 74 dendro dated to spring 1569 by Dan Miles October 2020.
Oxford Dendrochronology Laboratory
Report 2020/29
The Tree-Ring Dating of the Chantry House
Nos 17 – 29 Friday Street, general synopsis for the group. This uniform looking terrace of modest brick cottages started as two separate, substantial timber-framed buildings, which were altered and joined together in the mid C18th to create five two-up/two-down labourers’ cottages. However, the framing of the largest and tallest building was internally a little altered (Nos 23/25) to become a shop, a PH, two cottages and now again a single private house.
No 17, on the extreme left of the photographs, is the other early timber-framed building, in which many mid C15th timbers, as well as smoke blackening, survives. It also has a rear bay, set at right angles to the front probably built as a chamber wing, with an original four-light, diamond mullion window. – Nos 19, 21, 27 and 29 are infill buildings of slight framing, which made use of the existing houses on the site for their support. In the case of No. 29 use was also made of the entire sidewall of No. 31/33, which is exposed and used for support (See separate reports)
No. 17 Friday Street is one of the two early timber-framed houses in Friday Street which were incorporated into the terrace of six brick fronted houses in the mid 18th century. The building campaign for this is documented by two leases of 1744 and 1746 by the Henley Borough to Benjamin Bradshaw for 6 tenements, known as Gravett’s Charity. No 17 consists of one and a half timber-framed bays and a rear wing. The front range timbers retain sooted timbers. Wide arch braces, flat laid ceiling joists and a diamond mullion window survive and indicate a 15th-century building date.
No. 19 and 21 Friday Street were part of the mid 18th-century work by Bradshaw, creating much needed labourers’ accommodation in the town by inserting two-bedroom dwellings into the gaps. An essential part of the works was the addition of rear extensions for kitchens, stairs and stacks.
No. 19 and 21 Friday Street were part of the mid 18th-century work by Bradshaw, creating much-needed labourers’ accommodation in the town by inserting two-bedroom dwellings into the gaps. An essential part of the works was the addition of rear extensions for kitchens, stairs and stacks.
Nos 23/25 Friday Street was one of the primary, timber-framed buildings, known as the White Lion PH during the 19th century. Its side walls east and west walls were used to support the 18th-century dwellings carefully inserted by W. Bradshaw. It is a building of substantial framing, of L-shaped plan, with two bays built parallel to the street. It is of two and a half storey height and thus considerably taller than its neighbours, but also brick re-fronted with a 1744 dated brick confirming the documentary evidence.
Nos. 31 and 33 Friday Street were formerly a hall (one bay) and cross-wing (two bays), subdivided and re-roofed with a low-pitch slate roof. This indicates a mid-19th century date for this roof. The framing of its almost entire west elevation is exposed in No. 29 Friday Street, as the builders made use of the structural timbers for creating the east wall of what is now the two-room cottage at No. 29. The former hall, now No 33, was probably larger extending east, i.e. a two-bay hall is a more likely scenario. During the subdivision and modernization of the cottages, the former hall was given a rear extension. A large fireplace with attached stairs is an earlier feature at No. 31. Large arch braces can be seen in the rear bay of the cross-wing at No. 31 and in a former outside wall, now in the later rear extension/bathroom of No. 33. The surviving framing and evidence of smoke blackening indicate a building date of this hall and cross-wing of around 1400.
Nos 45 & 47 Friday Street, Queen Anne Cottage and The Old Foundry. This is the site of the former Henley tannery and Queen Anne Cottage. It is an elegant, early C18th double-pile dwelling and former residence of the master tanner and later Henley Works iron foundry proprietor. The Old Foundry was a service building, badly fire damaged and heavily restored and adapted to residential use after 1948. There is documentary evidence for this complex of buildings on this site and uses of the former tannery and from the mid-C19th as an iron foundry. (Buildings not recorded, but see Journals No 17 and No 28 of the HA&HG for details of the history, description and photographs of the badly fire-damaged structures)
Nos 51 & 53 Friday Street is a timber-framed building of two bays, running parallel to the street and a rear wing, forming an L-shape. It is now sub-divided, rendered and with a slated front roof raised to give upstairs headroom over what probably started as a hall and cross-wing. It is located next to what was the ‘Parsonage Gateway’ and its history can be followed through thanks to this fixed location. The tiled and steeply pitched roof remains at the back and substantial timber framing of good scantling survives inside, i.e. a queen strut truss with cambered tie-beam and clasped purlins. This is another example of the creation of small cottages from substantial timber-framed houses here in this street; the plan form of substantial stacks at the rear wall of the front rooms supporting turned stairs is a typical device also seen at Gravett’s Cottages ( Nos 17 – 29 Friday Street ) as used by Benjamin Bradshaw.
Nos. 57 – 61 Friday Street is a brick-built terrace adjoining the east side of the Parsonage Gateway (only No. 59 was visited). It is of double-pile plan with the west gable of brick and flint and has a shallow roof pitch. This roof pitch would have been designed for Welsh slates.
63 Friday Street appears to be a wing, all that remains of a late medieval house. Its timbers are of heavy scantling with yowl posts and the first floor retains a complete queen strut truss with clasped purlins, large wind and wall braces at the back of the bay. Part of this framing can be seen in the neighbouring house at No. 65, called the ‘Doll’s House’ which is of 18th-century construction, and used the framing of its existing neighbour. These timbers, i.e. the wall post, brace and tie beam, are heavily weathered where they are visible, but now well protected in the bedroom of No. 65. The weathering is a strong indicator that the east side of No. 63 was exposed since its construction and that an earlier component of the building, such as the essential hall, would have been located on the west side, now the site of the C19th brick & flint group of three cottages.
No. 65 Friday Street ‘The Doll’s House’ is yet another infill between two earlier timber-framed buildings (i.e. No. 63 and Nos.67/69), here using what appears to have been an essential access way to the rear. As a consequence, a long side corridor or passageway was retained when The Doll’s House was built and from there the principal entrance door to the house is accessed. Its ledge and plank door has the initials WWB 1740, very likely the initials of William Bradshaw, of the local builders family, also very much involved with Gravett’s Cottages further up the street (Nos 17 – 29), where infilling gaps between earlier buildings was the preferred option for creating new small housing. No 65 is taller than its neighbours with an attic storey. Its front room retains some panelling and cupboards around the modernized fireplace. There is an elegant corner display cabinet to one side of it.
14-14a Friday Street has recently been dendro dated to 1589/90 and is the surviving part of an impressive timber-framed house on the south side of Friday Street, now forming a corner with the late-Victorian Queen Street. Until the 1890s it was part of the parish of Rotherfield Greys. It has a jettied gable with moulded joists and is closely studded with a long row of windows in the first-floor gable (some of them now blocked), all of which show that its builder was a wealthy man making a statement. Very eroded carvings indicate two letters or numerals on a main gable post. Title deeds connect this building with the Benwell family in the C18th, but there are other possible connections with the Benwells of Cowfields Farm, Rotherfield Peppard parish, which go further back.
16 Friday Street’s history is connected with Brakspear’s Brewery and that of No. 14. It was formerly called ‘The Plough’ and then the ‘Black Horse’. It is a tall 2 ½ storey brick building with cellar and adjoining passageway, which gave access to rear service buildings and still serves both Nos. 14 & 16. It retains evidence of timber framing as well as a rear stair turret, which still provides access from 1st to 2nd floor and an indication of an earlier building date than suggested in the Listing Entry (late C17th – 18th ). The tile-hung east gable, an unusual feature here, indicates that it was either larger originally or connected to a formerly adjoining terrace of buildings, and now covers a damaged gable wall.
58 Friday Street, The Anchor Inn, located on the south side of Friday Street, formerly in the parish of Rotherfield Greys and shown on its 1844 Tithe Map. There it is described as two houses, showing an L-shaped foot print on a substantial plot with large outbuildings at the back. Behind its Victorian façade remains a timber framed house of a lobby entry plan with central stack, heavy square laid joists and transverse beams, all chamfered. It was known as the Brewery Tap (probably for Greys Brewery) and first mentioned as the The Anchor in 1847 ( see A.Cottingham ‘The Hostelries of Henley’)
9-11 Gravel Hill and 13 Gravel Hill. Nos 9 and 11 are now part of a modest Victorian terrace, but the façade hides a medieval timber-framed hall house of three bays with smoke-blackened roof timbers, which survive complete in the attic of No 11 with soot on the rafters, purlins, wind braces, and two crown-strut trusses. There are some indications that No. 7 was once part of the same group, but has been too much altered to ascertain this.
The Dendro Report of 2008 for 13 Gravel Hill provides the date of 1454 for the cross-wing at No. 13, and as it was clearly added to the open hall ( 9 – 11) it provides the evidence for giving the hall an approximate, earlier date.
No. 13 is a storeyed cross-wing which was added to the sidewall of No.11 in 1454 (dendro date). Its east side purlin and rafters rest on the timbers of the west gable of the hall. – The front wall has much-altered brickwork and fenestration, but the gable preserves a weathered crown strut and side purlin truss. The addition of two curved braces, give it the look of a crown post roof – a device harking back to the timber hungry, elegant medieval crown-post roofs. A simple, well-preserved crown strut truss makes up the rear gable. The tree felling date of 1454 and details of its physical close relationship with the pre-existing, adjoining hall proves that the latter is an earlier building, although the use of crown post struts in both indicates that their dates of construction are not very far apart.
The dendrochronolical report is attached.
For more information see the single report for 9, 11 & 13 Gravel Hill which includes a ground plan from Sales Particulars, a photograph and sketch of the south gable truss. There is no separate report, as no detailed recording was possible.
19 Gravel Hill, ‘Button Jugs’ is of late Georgian date, with walls of red brick with burnt headers patterns, a very shallow pitch slate roof, reeded sash windows with flat, rubbed brick arches, a 6-panelled door, set under a segmental, rubbed brick arch with radial fanlight. The interior retains many of its early C19th features, such as wall panelling, reeded door surrounds, moulded ceiling cornices and window shutters. There are also notes on its history and that of its site by John Crocker and by Ann Cottingham.
43-45 Gravel Hill is a substantial timber-framed house, originally of a two-bay lobby entry plan, now subdivided into two cottages, both extended at the back. It occupies a prominent position near the top of the upper Market Place, jutting forward into the road, its gable looking towards the town. In the 19th and early 20th century, it was a beerhouse, called the ‘Basket Makers Arms’ (see A. Cottingham ‘The Hostelries of Henley’). Its queens strut trusses, clasped purlin, large wind braces, wide, flat laid ceiling joists in bay II and two inglenook fireplaces suggest a building date of the mid C16th
20 – 22 Greys Road is a modest timber-framed house with a central stack, against which a former entrance door may have been located. The step down from the pavement indicates a possibly C17th building date. Possibly a lobby-entry house, but equally possible that it was a stable or similar outbuilding. Queen strut trusses, but poor quality wall frame timbers indicate later work than indicated by the trusses. It was very likely formerly weatherboarded. The Tithe Map and 1st O.S. map show that it was part of a large farmstead (demolished to make way for Greys Road car park). Interesting fireplaces, the eastern one with signs that it might have had a framed hood. The western one is built of narrow, ‘Tudor’ bricks.
Highlands Farmstead was overlooked during the Listing Process. It was located out of sight at the end of Highlands Lane, a typically substantial, historic Chiltern farmstead (first mentioned in 1401). It consisted of a timber-framed farmhouse of which one bay survived, with a tall brick & flint parlour wing extension. There was also a timber-framed barn of 3 bays with porch, probably of early to mid 18th date, and a brick and flint stable. More farm buildings existed as can be seen on the 1840 Tithe Map. The farmyard and all its buildings were demolished to make room for the suburban housing development of ‘Highlands Park’ in c. 2018. The site lies in the Chiltern AONB and part of it was designated a SAM (large number Palaeolithic flint finds in a former, braided river bed) and an SSSI.
English Heritage Listing update in 2011
This is the dendrochronology report for the complex of buildings.
See also:
20 and 22 Hart Street are two separate buildings but constructed as a hall and cross-wing probably in the mid C15th. Now a shop & office at No.20 and Magoos Bar at No.22. The latter was known as ‘The Old Rope Walk’ and the 1878 OS map still shows the very long, narrow burgage plot marked up as ‘Rope Walk’. First documented in 1861 Wm. Cook as a rope and twine maker, In 1915 it was still in the same family. No 20 was the Unicorn PH. until 1911.
25 Market Place has a plain red brick façade with C18th sashes, of which three are mock windows, inserted for symmetry, to accommodate the oak beams of a two bay timber-framed building. A long wing behind this retains its original roof trusses, one of them a very fine scissor brace truss, which has been dendro dated 1470/1. There is also a smoke bay with a queen stud truss, indicating possible commercial use of the building (it was the Rose & Crown PH in the C19th – see A. Cottingham ‘ The Hostelries of Henley’, also for details of ownership from 1585 onwards)
Dendrochronology dating report – see separate entry for a report on the building
59 Market Place ‘The Malthouse’ is a double-pile brick building of two storeys and attic, plus cellar. It shares its tiled roof with No 61; both are listed together, although separate dwellings on long burgage plots. It has a double-height bay and 18th C. windows as well as keystones, shallow pilasters and plat bands, painted white. No measured survey, but description. Its history is associated with that of No. 57 and its large maltings, shown on the 1878 O.S. map. The small, timber-framed ‘malthouse’ ( or hop kiln?) in its back garden and separately described, is a remnant of this industry.
Rear of 59 Market Place, former malthouse is located in the back garden of No. 59 and was separately listed Gd.II in 2009 after recording by the O.B.R and HA&HG. It consists of 2 bays; flint lower walls, supporting timber framing with brick noggin. The frame of a former kiln funnel survives in one bay, very probably used for drying hops rather than malting barley, as there are no malt floors for the processing of the barley attached, an absolute essential for the malting process.
61 Market Place directly adjoins No. 59 on the west. Their different blue/grey burnt header use in the brick patterns show that they may not be one building campaign, although both share the shallow pilasters, keystones and plat bands. The inside was visited and described, but no measured drawings (but a copy of the plans of 1937 Sales Particulars), some photographs of interior F.P., stairs, and panelling.
Old Bell House, No 9 Northfield End is located at the northern entrance of the town where the Marlow and Oxford roads meet, forming a triangular open area, possibly a first market place at the gates of the site of the Royal Manor of Fillets. The house has a C18th frontage, which hides part of a timber-framed aisled hall (heavy smoke-blackened) at the back; only the north aisle survives. It was dendro dated to 1471/2. A vaulted cellar under the pavement appears to have been accessed from the street as well as from a later cellar under the house. A dated brick of 1733 with the initials T. O. refers to the ownership of Tomas Ovey and indicates that during this family’s time the dwelling house was much enlarged. – Tethering posts between The Old Bell House and Northfield House are further indicators that this building may have been used as an inn, a place to tie up one’s horse temporarily (the forerunner of our modern parking bay).
Dendrochronology Report.
For more details see report on property.
A thatched, timber-framed farmhouse of two bays originally to which a further bay was added creating a lobby-entry plan. The entrance lobby abuts an enclosed, narrow, turned staircase, supported by the large brick stack. It became a P.H. and the adjacent farm buildings, called Bournes Farm, became separated probably in the 18th century. Good quality framing, chamfer stops, oak-panelled walls, 17th cox-combe door hinges to enclosed stair. The upper floors were not inspected.
It consisted of a timber-framed, weatherboarded barn of originally 3 bays with central threshing floor, to which a porch and a bay were added at each end. Its formerly thatched, half-hipped roof had been replaced with corrugated iron sheeting. The roof trusses consisted of queen strut trusses with clasped purlins. The wall framing had horizontal mid rails and struts, indicating earlier wattle & daub panels. A lean-to on the south side provided a milking parlour. – The building’s former use had ceased, replaced by C20th portal frame structures. It was in a poor state of neglect when we recorded it in 1983.
It was demolished in 1984, later making room for a car park and extensions to the Bottle & Glass P.H.
A late timber-framed, two-room cottage of one and a half storeys and a thatched, half-hipped roof. The timbers are of small scantling, square-framed with brick infill. Roof structure not accessible. A stack serves two fireplaces; one room with a copper adjoining the stack having probably served as a kitchen. Outside Privy. Very dilapidated when recorded in 1987. Subsequently Listed II, repaired and later extended.
Hampstead Farm is a large, isolated farmstead located above the Thames and main road between Henley and Reading. It has 4 large barns, stables, a granary, pigsties, two-fold yards; all located across a lane from the substantial brick-built farmhouse. An oxen byre (identified in the report as a stable; the only building recorded by the HA&HG with measured drawings) and the farmhouse are grouped near a large pond to the north side of the track. All barns are weatherboarded. Barn II has queen strut trusses; barns I and III have inner principals with the date 1776 on the tie beam of barn III. Barn IV appears to be the earliest of the barns; it is of 4 bays with mid-rail framing.
The most remarkable building on site is the brick-built oxen byre, identified by its wide, low doors. It has a fodder storage loft above, with a ladder accessed from the outside. Its trusses are of the interrupted tie-beam type with a gap along the east wall allowing for easy access for fodder storage and feeding.
A group of two barns is all that remains of a small farmstead shown on the Tithe Map of 1840. Both barns are timber-framed with aisles on one side, with queen strut trusses and clasped purlins. Barn I is the most interesting building as it is mostly built from re-used cruck timbers; the arcade posts are constructed from upside-down cruck blades. Cruck buildings are very rare in the Chilterns, but these must have come from a near-by cruck dwelling as transporting very substantial timbers any distance would have been very difficult and costly. The cruck timbers were dendro dated to 1454 by Dr Dan Miles in 1984 and the buildings were subsequently Listed Gd. II in 1985.
Manor Farm was a large farmstead near Bix Common and the main toll road from Henley to Dorchester. However, it was not the Manor Farm of the parish, the site of which remains unknown. It retains its farmhouse and major outbuildings i.e. a large six-bay barn, stabling, coach house, milking parlour, dairy, bullpen; all converted to commercial uses ( not recorded). The barn is timber-framed, with brick infill panels. It consists of a three-bay barn of 16th /17th date, queen strut roof trusses, and a 19th century, three-bay addition of much slighter framing and herringbone brick infill. Both parts have large porches on their north sides. The farmhouse was not recorded.
Detailed inventory and the will of 1697 of Henry Benwell – wealthy family associated with this farm and one other, also with properties in Henley.
A two-bay lobby entry plan farmhouse with a number of outbuildings, one of them a large barn ( not recorded as they had a separate equestrian use). It is now located in an isolated position at the T junction of two ancient trackways leading from Bix Common and the Assendon Road to St. James Church (a ruin) and St. Michael’s (an archaeological site mostly below two C20th estate cottages), and beyond to Bix Manor Farm, Pages Farm and what is now the Bix Nature Reserve. Although now a back water, this must have been a major through road from the Thames valley across the Chilterns to the Oxford Vale. The farmhouse is brick and flint built, dating to c. 1600 with a C 18th rear extension, doubling its size.
Grade II Listed, of mid-18th century date. It is a modest flint and brick-built farmhouse. Adjoining this is a timber-framed barn. The latter was being repaired (converted to residential ?) at the time of the HA&HG, Vernacular Architecture Section, visit in 1987. The three-bay barn has trusses of ‘inner curved principals of extraordinary shapes. In a simpler form, the roof type is known since the mid 18th in Oxfordshire. See drawing for details, for the two central trusses, and queen struts in the gables. The farmhouse had originally two-bays, one of them heated by a large fireplace with bread oven, with a lean-to extension at the back.
Eye and Dunsden Bishopsland Farm Barn. The 9-bay timber-framed barn is part of a large, historic farmstead, formerly in the ownership of the Bishops of Sarum. The earliest 5-bays have the date of 1576 carved in the tie beam at Truss D1 on the plan. This truss consists of central queen struts and raking queen posts. There are two porches and threshing floors.
For more information on the farmstead see Report on Bishopsland, Farmstead and House.
A very substantial brick L-shaped farmhouse, listed as 17th-19th century but retaining plenty of internal evidence of earlier timber framing, panelling, and a Tudor arch fireplace. The fireplaces are served by an external stack with three angled flues.
There are many outbuildings: the great barn ( see separate report), stables, three timber-framed granaries on staddle stones, a cart shed, a wash and general utility building.
A farmstead with brick & flint house and earlier framed wing (hs. not recorded) located on the edge of Dunsden village. A large farmyard, two barns, a granary, and shelter sheds. The barns were in the process of being converted to residential uses and our recording was superficial, mostly through photographs and loan of architect’s drawings. Some internal photographs, post-conversion, were also by the architects. Queen strut trusses in the 5-bay South Barn with evidence of re-used timbers – some may have come from a cruck building.
This is or was the home farm to Fawley Court and occupies a large site with numerous outbuildings on the west side of the Henley to Hambleden road (there are barns, stables, cottages, covered yard, a privy – see attached sketch plan); some since demolished or converted to residential. The date stone of 1737 I. Freeman is on the wall of an upstairs bedroom of the house. This is now called Fawley Court Lodge; it is brick-built, of double-pile plan, and the internal walls are lined with chalk blocks (there is a large chalk quarry near-by in Icehouse Lane).
The 8-bay timber-framed and weatherboarded barn has a 5-bay extension on its south side. Only the service buildings were photographically recorded and described. Some 19th & 20th Sales documents are included.
Originally one property called Round House Farm in the ownership of the Freemans of Fawley Court. The earliest part is a timber-framed cottage (Pink Cottage) of one bay with a large inglenook fireplace and formerly external stack on the south side, which it shares with the adjoining circular chalk block building (Roundhouse). This elegant 18th-century building (brick and flint base, brick cornice, tiled roof) was erected by John Freeman, confirmed by the date stone of 1730 and his initials. It seems to be very much part of the John Freeman building campaign of the period including Fawley Court Farm which has the date stone of 1737 and the same initials. The Roundhouse addition to the existing farmstead may have been intended as an eye-catcher, as well as providing additional accommodation.
Village farmstead. A group of two barns, stables, a shelter shed and granary adjoin the former farm house, now called Ivy Cottage (see separate report). A new, modest brick farm house was built in 1894. Timber framed, 4-bay barn with timber treshing floor and curved inner principal trusses indicates a mid-18th century date. Detailed research into the occupancy by the Hussey and Prince families by local descendant Harold Hussey of Pheasants Hill Farm, Hambleden; photographs of family members, farm waggon and 1940s tractor.
Very likely the home farm of the now vanished medieval manor house. The double aisled, 6-bay barn is the largest in the valley and probably served as a manorial tithe barn. It is timber-framed of queen strut and clasped purlin construction, but with brick and flint work forming the aisled dwarf and gable end walls. The roof is half-hipped and tiled. It has two large porches on the south and north sides. There are several stables around the farmyard (not recorded in detail).
The farmhouse is brick-built, of modest size, but now much extended; it also includes the fabric of a former brick & flint barn on its north side (still clearly indicated by its large blocked central wagon entrance and blocked ventilation slits). The earliest part of the house is of lobby entry plan, indicated by its blocked entrance door into the lobby and former winder stair at the back of the large central stack.
This is the original farmhouse to the adjoining Fingest Farm (see separate report). A timber-framed house of c. 1600 date, with queen struts and clasped purlin trusses. It is brick fronted on the street elevation only, of a three-bay plan with later rear extension, forming a T-shape. The latter was probably added in the 17th century as a kitchen, strongly indicated by the large range and double gable end stacks. Much historical information was added by former tenant farmers and their descendants.
Colstrope Farm is now the principal farmstead of this small hamlet in the middle of the Hambleden valley, whose name goes back to Scandinavian or Germanic settlers. The C18th, double-pile brick farmhouse forms one side of a large fold yard with 3 barns, cowsheds, a bullpen and stables. Barn II has the date 1739 scribed on the post adjoining the threshing floor. The materials used are brick & flint and weatherboarding, the trusses have queen struts and clasped purlins.
An interesting feature of the house is an external stair turret, which provides direct access to the loft from the ground floor back kitchen (itself a later extension), without there being any access to the main body of the house from it – so not the traditional back stairs as seen in many 18th/19th century houses. The dwelling house is served by the principal stairs within it and accessed by its central passageway. Was the direct access to the loft used for important storage, i.e. seed corn? Or designated for separate male farmhands’ accommodation?
Located high above the Hambleden Valley and consists of the main farm house, a medieval aisled barn, a cottage ( see separate report for Tudor Cottage), a further barn and stables. Formerly in the ownership of Dame Lady Periam and then Balliol College, it is well documented (see in-depth research by Penelope Olsen for Palmer family – interpretation of buildings, however, is questionable). The brick and flint walled, aisled, timber-framed, and fully hipped barn consists of five bays with two porches. It has been dendro dated to 1443 with crown strut trusses. It is the earliest building. on the site.
The jettied timber-framed farmhouse has a dendro date of 1494, but this is very likely just the surviving chamber wing to an earlier hall house, which was replaced by a tall brick & flint chamber block with newel staircase and large central stack creating a lobby entrance plan between the two parts of the house. Each room has fireplaces, some with a Tudor arch surround, also many original cross-shaped ovolo moulded window. A building date for this part of the house of c 1600 is suggested turning the medieval homestead into a comfortable, one may say luxurious, house.
Howe Farm is an isolated farmstead located on the western slopes of the Hambleden valley. It was a private house when the only surviving barn was recorded in 1984, but earlier sales documents of 1882 and the 1845 Tithe Map show that it was a typically isolated, but substantial, Chiltern farmstead of 147 acres and with many outbuildings. The recorded barn is of three bays, with a large porch, all now weatherboarded. Its horizontal timbers have grooves and holes for former wattle staves showing that the walls formerly consisted of wattle & daub panels.
Little Colstrope Farm has an C18th double-pile, brick-built farmhouse, a former farmyard with barns and stables on the west side, but ceased to be a working farm by c. 1900. All farm buildings have since been converted to residential use. Barn I has an abundance of ‘wavy’ scantling timbers, evidence of a shortage of good scantling timbers. The trusses next to the former threshing floor have Inner Curved Principals, a typical C18th/19th device to provide headroom for the storing of sheaves. The other trusses have queen strut roofs with clasped purlins. The histories of ownership of Colstrope Farm and Little Colstrope are linked through the Deane family.
Mill End Farm retains all the features of a traditional 18th-century farmstead with a brick built, M-shaped brick farmhouse and adjacent large farmyard. This still contains all the farm buildings needed for mixed use such as cattle, horses, and cereal growing; i.e. two large barns, a cow house, calf shed, shelter shed, stable, and granary. A former dairy use in the farmhouse has been identified. The stable has Inner Curved Principal trusses and a feeding gap to supply the feeding troughs below. The stable also has windows of iron frame & mullions with an internal horizontally sliding shutter. Barn II retains driving shafts, suspended from the tie-beams, to run former machinery. The outbuildings are mainly weatherboarded but there are also walls of brick & flint and chalk blocks; i.e. the calf shed, adding good insulation.
Pheasant’s Hill Farm is part of a small hamlet, located c. 1 mile north of Hambleden village. The steading consists of a brick-built and originally two-bay farmhouse with cellar and external well. It has been extended and is now double-pile. There are two timber-framed and weatherboarded barns, one converted for cow accommodation, a further cow house, a stable, cart shed, and granary. Barn I has queen strut trusses and clasped purlins; barn II has inner principals allowing for head height for storing the harvest (a roof truss type known locally from the mid C18th ) but the machine-cut softwood timbers here indicate a C19th date.
Yewden Farm was the home farm to Yewden Manor and its outbuildings (granary, stable) adjoin the Manor House directly on the north. The brick-built farmhouse occupies the adjoining site with three timber-framed barns and a large covered yard, again to its north. The timber-framed with brick infill granary on its staddle stones is a particularly attractive, although late, example of its type. One can follow the gradual growth and development of the farmstead from south to north ending with the date of 1884 and initials of the new owner WHS in the brickwork at the entrance to the covered yard. All buildings have now been converted to residential.
Harpsden Court was the home of the lords of the Manor of Harpsden since Domesday and probably earlier, judging by its Anglo-Saxon name. This survey of the buildings relies on the 1586 estate map by John Blagrave of Reading, commissioned by Humfrey Forster. The birds-eye view shows the existing front range, dendro dated to 1567/68, located between three courtyards with numerous outbuildings. These no longer exist. The house itself has been extended with an additional C18th kitchen wing (1722) on the west side and a further rear wing, of an early C19th date at the rear/south side.
During extensive recording work by members of the Henley Archaeological & Historical Group and the Oxfordshire Buildings Record, an earlier tower type structure was discovered, having been retained under the 1567 Tudor roof. All visible walls, mostly hidden behind square oak paneling, are of rubble stone, flint, some ashlar, and some corner tiles construction. A pointed arch stone window survives in the east wall at first floor level of the now enclosed tower structure, indicating a late 12th/13th century building date for this part . – The Strawberry Hill fenestration, much of it with false windows adding grandeur to the main façade, and a porch of c. 1900, were the last alterations to its principal elevation.
The barn is the only remaining building of the former home farm of Harpsden Court and stands next to the church. It is weatherboarded, of three bays with a brick stable extension on the west side. Both are now converted to residential. The most interesting feature of the barn is the carved initials and dates of the owners, Henry and Elizabeth Hall ( H, H16 & E89), on the doorposts and lintel. The same, plus a tulip head, are repeated on the tie beam adjoining the threshing floor. The roof structure is of the queen strut and clasped purlin type
Hunts Farm, Hunts Green, Harpsden is the only surviving farmstead of the three shown on the 1586 Blagrave Estate Map. The core of the farmhouse is a three-bay cruck hall house, smoke-blackened with its original cruck trusses and low roof only surviving well at the back. A later timber-framed extension of two bays, probably of early C18th date, was added on the east side. The front brick and flint wall probably dates from the time when the house was converted into two cottages in the early/mid C19th.
The timber-framed, weatherboarded, five-bay barn on the east side of the courtyard has roof trusses of the ‘inner curved principals’ type of which other examples are known locally (see Lower Bolney Farm 1750 date on tie beam). The barn is listed as dating to the C17th or earlier, as it has evidence of original wattle & daub infill panels. A shelter shed is attached to its south-bay forming an L-shape with the barn. A C19th brick stable, later used as a dairy, stands on the north side of the yard.
The house and barn were Listed Gd II following the detailed recording of the farmstead and research into its history by the HA&HG based on the 1586 map.
Hunts Green Barn is the only building surviving of the middle farm of this three-farmstead hamlet recorded by Blagrave in 1586. It has three bays with a central threshing floor and large barn doors. A C19th stable is attached on the east side. The trusses have queen struts from ties to collars and clasped purlins. There is evidence that it had wattle & daub infill panels before this was replaced with weatherboarding. Listed Gd II in 1990 following the survey and research by HA&HG.
Lucy’s Farm is shown on the 1586 Blagrave Map of the Harpsden Court Estate as a farmstead in the valley bottom, not far from the manor house and church. It was still in existence on the Tithe Map of 1842, but now only one barn survives, timber-framed and weatherboarded, however in a rather poor condition, much repaired and partly rebuilt. Much historical evidence in the form of wills and inventories of the tenant farmers (the Symons and Lucies) exists and illustrate this once substantial and well to do holding from the 16th century onwards.
Old Place, alias Bottom House Farm, Harpsden is shown on the 1586 Blagrave Map of the Harpsden Court Estate. It is located at the western end of the Harpsden Valley, one of the several large farmsteads of this typically dispersed Chiltern parish. The farmhouse is shown as an L-shape, reflecting very much the still existing earliest timber-framed building on this site. This is now dwarfed by several large, mock-Tudor extensions. The farm buildings still shown on the 1842 Tithe map have disappeared, replaced with mock Tudor barns. – The earliest part of the house is a two-bay timber-framed hall, with a large stack separating it from its first extension which is in the form of a small storeyed east wing.
Perseverance Cottage, Harpsden is located above the valley by the side of the road which climbs up Chalk Hill, also known as Perseverance Hill. Originally of 2 bays with a large external brick stack, thatched and of small scantling timbers, brick & flint underbuilt up to first-floor level; probably a 17th-century smallholder’s cottage built on the road margins. A timber-framed extension on the west side was added under a hipped roof, possibly in the late C18th or early C19th, probably with re-used timbers and lacking traditional carpentry skills – but fitting the label of picturesque!
Upper House Farm consists of a brick farmhouse, with a 16th-century timber-framed, three-bay core. This has queen strut trusses and clasped
purlins. There is a three-bay timber-framed & weather-boarded barn and also a timber-framed granary on staddle stones on the east side. A 19th century former stable closes the large farmyard on the west. Part of this farmstead is shown on the 1586 Harpsden Court Estate map. It was a typical dispersed Chiltern farmstead consisting of 116 acres in the tenure of W. Pearman (see Pearman tenure history for more details).
Rocky Lane Farm was in the ownership of the Greys Court Estate until its sale in 1922. It consisted of an C18th brick and flint farmhouse with gable end chimney stacks and timber mullion windows and a decorative Victorian porch (see photograph in 1922 Sales Catalogue). There is also a five-bay barn, weatherboarded with inner principals and porch.
The change in ownership brought about gentrification of the property with the introduction of re-used stone mullion windows, leaded lights, a semi-circular arch front door surround, and various other re-used stone Tudor arch doorways and features, often well weathered and very likely originating from the demolition site of a 16th-century house.
This is a very substantial Chiltern Farm with a Georgian farmhouse (including an earlier core ) two substantial timber-framed barns, joined by a link, two sets of stables, bullpen, pig styes, shelter shed, milking parlour and granary, a large former farmyard – now a sunken garden. Only the barns and granary were recorded in detail. Photo 1982
Located in Colmore Lane, on the edge of Kingwood Common. It is of two bays, with later rear outshut. It was built with good quality scantling timbers and good detailing, such as queen strut trusses set on a cambered tie-beam, as well as chamfer stops in the ground floor spine beams. Sooting is present on some rafters, but maybe this is from the chimney rather than proving that this was an early hall house. Conclusion: a modest farmhouse of good quality, of possible mid 16th century date, which survived as a cottage.
Home Farm in Middle Assendon consists of a traditional farmhouse ( brick & flint, of lobby entry plan), an L-shaped, weatherboarded barn ( Barns I and II on drawings, of three bays each) and stables, grouped around the fold yard. There is also a cart shed and yard pump. The 1725 Stonor Estate map shows a house and a simple barn ( barn I), confirming that there were two building phases, forming an L-shape; there is also the addition of a large porch, needed for an increase in processing more cereals. The brick and flint farmhouse was extended and doubled in size by a 19th century north range with a new front door at what used to be the back, opening into the garden rather than into the fold yard – a clear sign of improved living standards as well as status.
Hollandridge Farm, Pishill with Stonor, is located high up in the Chilterns alongside an ancient ridgeway spur, called Knightsbridge Lane. It was formerly part of the Stonor Estate (see 1725 map). Two good size dew ponds, fed possibly by a spring, supply the essential water for the documented livestock, i.e. cows, sheep, horses, and pigs (see Inventories of Nicholas Smythe of 1628 and Nicholas Cowdrey of 1721). The mainly brick-built farmhouse dates to c 1800, with signs of an earlier core. Two timber-framed barns of 3 and 5 bays respectively, the latter has an outshut, porch, and central threshing floor; 6-bay timber-framed stable and other service buildings are grouped around the large farmyard.
Remenham Farm is located on the east bank of the Thames in Berkshire. It consists of a C18th double-pile brick farmhouse with later additions, two large barns, and a C19th covered yard and tractor shed, added by the new owners W H Smith (1889 date stone). All have been converted to residential and commercial uses. A former timber-framed granary was removed to a position close to the river, away from the farmyard complex; in 2007 it was vandalized and burned down. The barn to the south of the present farmyard complex appears to be the only survivor, apart from the farmhouse, of the earlier farmstead shown on the 1841 Tithe Map. The barn is of three bays with side aisle, timber-framed with queen strut trusses, and clasped purlins. Interestingly it has an extension on its east side built of cob; a building material not usually found here. – The barn north-east of the covered yard was not investigated as it had been converted to residential, and in separate ownership.
An isolated typical Chiltern farmstead, dating from c. 1500 with a timber-framed farmhouse, probably starting as a small hall house, with timber-framed wings added over the next two centuries. Adjacent to the north and north/west are two large timber-framed barns with other service buildings of various dates, mostly brick-built, such as stables, cowsheds, a bullpen, and shelter sheds around the farmyard.
This report was been commissioned by Sam and Sue Samuels, owners of Cowfields Farmhouse to inform applications for planning permission and listed building consent.
PLEASE ALSO REFER TO HA&HG REPORT 39 ON COWFIELDS BY RUTH GIBSON IN 1986