Houndhill

WORSBROUGH HOUND HILL LANE SE30SW (south side)

1/79 Houndhill (formerly listed as Hound Hill 11.11.66 House)

GV II*

Manor house. Wing dated 1566 otherwise of two C17 builds, extensively renovated in 1934. Timber-framed wing, otherwise ashlar sandstone, stone slate roof. H-plan. 2 storeys, partially with cellars and attics, 2 : 1 : 1 windows to 1st floor. Narrow central recess has doorway on left with chamfered jambs and deep lintel; double-chamfered cross-window on its right, 4-light mullioned window over. Gabled wing on left has chamfered plinth and sashes with glazing bars to each floor in altered double-chamfered surrounds, ground-floor dripmould is cut back, lst-floor window on right is in position of former doorway. Shaped kneelers and gable copings with renewed finials. Gabled wing on rights corner posts flank c1934 6-light transomed window in ground-floor walling. Rendered upper storey with coved apron to 5-light transomed window; coving beneath tie beam of A-strut king-post truss with wall-plate ends set on shaped brackets, recut inscription 'R 1566 E' on tie beam, bargeboards with wooden finial. Corniced ashlar ridge stacks to each wing, stack to left on central ridge. Rear: similar. Chamfered ground-floor dripmould, inscription 'DAIRY' over window in ashlar wing. Exposed timber-framing to upper storey of C16 wing, tie beam inscribed 'LKE 1934 DWE'. Ashlar gable has base for diagonally-set end stack. Right return: all but ground-floor-left wall has exposed timber framing. Door between 2 posts which flank the ridge stack. Wooden 4-light transomed window on right. Chevron struts above mid-rail, vertical studding and coving beneath two lst-floor windows of 4-lights, that to left transomed. lst-floor mid-rail with vertical studs above, 2-light window above door.

Interior: entrance hall has exposed framing of wing and ashlar fireplace; balustraded dog-leg staircase incorporating some early work. Ashlar fireplaces in framed wing and elsewhere in house, one has segmental arch. Much C17 panelling with guilloche and foliage frieze decorations. Home of the Elmhirst family, initials on front tie beam are those of Roger Elmhirst or his son Robert (d1618). Richard Elmhurst (d1653) fortified the house for his own family. Ashlar wing said to have been used as a wool store evidence of which would be the lst-floor gable doorway. Foundations of a C16-C17 dyeing and weaving workshop are exposed near the rear-right corner of the house. An additional date of 1606 was recorded in the 1934 renovation. Outstanding house of the region which, after a period of 250 years, has returned to the Elmhirst family.

S. R. Jones, 'Houndhill, Worsbrough', Archaeological Journal, vol 137, 1980, pp442-444 and plate III.

Listing NGR: SE3372604141