Lower Woodcote Farmhouse

BICTON C.P. WOODCOTE SJ 41 SE 10/41 Lower Woodcote Farmhouse 29.1.52 (formerly listed as Lower Woodcote)

GV II*

Farmhouse. Mid-to late C16 and mid-C17, with some minor early C19 and late C20 alterations and additions. Timber framed with plastered infill, partly underbuilt in brick. Plain tile roofs. Framing: C16 range has ground floor with closely spaced studs and middle rail, and first floor with square panels (2 from bressumer to wall plate) with diagonal struts forming lozenge patterns; C17 range has small square panels (4 from girding beam to wall plate) with quatrefoils. T-plan. C17 hall range of 2 or 3 framed bays with projecting gabled C16 cross wing of 3 or 4 framed bays. Hall range of 2 storeys and attic, and 2-storey cross wing. North-west (entrance) front: brick ridge stack with shafting, off-centre to left, and large external C17 brick end stack (English bond) to right with 3 diagonally-placed shafts. Two gabled eaves dormers to right with 2-light wooden casements. Hall range with pair of first-floor wooden cross windows to right and 2-light wooden casement to left. Early C19 six-panelled door to left with 3-part Gothic overlight and small gabled porch. One-storey brick lean-to to right. Cross wing to left with small attic and first-floor 2-light wooden casements and ground-floor 3-light wooden casement with boarded shutters. Collar and tie-beam truss in gable with queen struts and V-struts. Left-hand return front of cross wing: jettied first floor (underbuilt to left) with moulded bressumer. Three first-floor 2-light wooden casements; first- floor blocked C16 window to right. Ground-floor wooden cross window with boarded shutters to right, 3-light mullioned and transomed wooden window off- centre to left and C20 two-light casement to left. C16 nail-studded boarded door off-centre to right with decorative wrought-iron strap hinges and moulded panel, straight-sided arched head with carved spandrels, and moulded square surround. C16 one-storey gabled porch (possibly formerly 2 storeys) with plain barge boards, entrance with moulded surround, and small later side window. Early C19 one-storey rendered gabled addition adjoining to left of porch; segmental-headed 16-pane glazing bar sash to front. Rear of cross wing has jettied gable with truss consisting of cambered tie-beam, 2 collars, queen struts and V struts. Interior not inspected but known from photographs (N.M.R.). Fine mid-to late C17 dog-leg oak staircase rising to attic, with closed string, turned balusters, moulded grip hand- rail and square newel posts with incised halberd ornament and plumed square- section finials. Probably reused carved beam at head of stairs with 4 dragons and some illegible lettering. Two panelled rooms. Lower Woodcote was the Waring family home from the C14 to the end of the C18. H.E. Forrest, [Some Old Shropshire Houses and their Owners (1924), pp. 111-15; N.M.R.

Listing NGR: SJ4515911666