The Iron House

HOPTON WAFERS

SO6376 STOCKHALL LANE 582-1/10/146 The Iron House 24/05/93

II

House, probably originally used as a weighing office for iron ore. Early C19, extended late C20. Coursed sandstone south-east and south-west walls; sandstone rubble north-east wall; red brick window arches and sills. Plain-tile roof with gabled ends. Brick axial stack. PLAN: 2-room with lobby entrance in front of axial stack which heats large left-hand room only; the small right-hand room is unheated. The front entrance lobby is now blocked and there is a doorway in the left-hand end wall leading to a straight staircase at the back of the left room. Large late C20 extension built at rear. EXTERIOR: 2 storeys. Almost symmetrical 2-window south-east front. Small 2-light casements, first-floor right blocked. Blocked doorway at centre with brick segmental arch. Similar windows in gable ends, ground-floor right end original, on left (south-west) end an old plank door and later gabled porch. Large C20 concrete extension covering whole of rear elevation. INTERIOR: large left room has brick fireplace with slightly cambered timber lintel and joists exposed in late C20. The most important feature of the house is the remarkable iron roof constructed by Thomas Botfield (of the family of Shropshire ironmasters) who bought the manor of Hopton Wafers and registered a patent (No.3264) for `Iron Roofs for Houses' on 26 July 1809. The roof is probably a prototype, semicircular or barrel shaped with rounded ends, set on the wall plates and made of iron plates riveted together by 3 different methods, overlapping or with upturned or downturned flanges as described in the patent. Above this iron vault is a conventional rafter and tile-clad roof. (Association for Industrial Archaeology Bulletin: 1990-: 3).

Listing NGR: SO6378276603