St Joseph'S Cottage The Old House

AVON DASSETT AVON DASSETT ROAD SP44NW (East side) 4/15 St. Joseph's Cottage and The 30/05/67 Old House (Formerly listed as Old Convent "St. Josephs")

GV II

House; now divided into two. Dated 1679, with early C19 wing (Wood-Jones). Regular coursed ironstone, with alternating wide and narrow courses; left return side of wing is of brick with brick dentil cornice. Old tile roofs; main range has coped gable parapets and C19 ashlar end stack to right; other end stacks of C20 brick. 3-unit plan with later through-passage, extended to L-plan by wing added to front at angle on left. Wing and left bay form The Old House. Main range 2 storeys and attic; 2-window range. Wing 2 storeys; front windowless. Doorway has moulded jambs. Moulded shallow 4-centred arch with sunk moulded spandrels, large lintel and elaborate hood mould with lozenge stops. Original ribbed and studded oak door. Moulded datestone above has initials I.A.D. 3-light mullioned window with hood mould to left and right and to rear; ground floor window on right is 4-light, with lowered sill. Right return side of wing a one-window range, with 3-light casements and painted wood lintels. Left return side has door and casements under segmental brick arches. Sash on first floor. To rear: formerly 3, now 4-window range, with mid C20 mullioned windows inserted between first and second bays. Central doorway has C19 ribbed door and overlight, with painted wood lintel beneath hood mould. C19 lean-to with slate roof to left bay. 4 late C19 gabled roof dormers have 2-light casements with glazing bars. Interior; stop chamfered ceiling beams. Noted as having staircase with flat shaped balusters, probably earlier C17 and imported. Principal bedroom noted as having fine angle fireplace with moulded arch similar to entrance and cornice. According to Wood-Jones the doorway "provides the last dated example of a four-centred arch" in the Banbury region. Said to have been used as a convent. (R.B. Wood-Jones: Traditional Domestic Architecture in the Banbury Region: 1963, pp.115-118, 267, 268, 270, 275, 292; Buildings of England: Warwickshire, p.80).

Listing NGR: SP4098249937