Astwood Court

REDDITCH B ASTWOOD LANE (south side) SP 06 SW 4/8 Astwood Court 10/4/54

• II

Farmhouse, now house, c1500 origins; remodelled mid- to late C18 with mid- C19 and mid-C20 alterations. Originally timber-framed but mainly rebuilt in brick with some brick refacing; plain tiled roofs. T-plan; main part of five bays aligned north-east/south-west; large chimney with brick ridge stack at junction of first and second bays from south-west end; also large chimney with three diagonal ridge stacks in fourth bay; south-east wing projects from third and fourth bays and has external sandstone chimney with two diagonal brick stacks on its north-east side; also small porch wing in angle with south- west side of wing and main range. Part two storeys, attic with dormers and cellar; part three storeys; three-course band between storeys of main part and at eaves level at south-west end; dentilled eaves cornice and moulded barge- boards. Windows are C20 casements with leaded lights. South-east elevation: main part to left of wing has two ground and first floor 3-light windows with cambered heads; porch wing has a narrow single-light ground and first floor window both with cambered heads; a two-course impost band flanks the head of the first floor window; C20 door with moulded architrave in left side; main part to right of wing has a lean-to addition with catslide roof which has a 2-light first floor window and a lean-to C20 porch on a brick pier and a C20 door with moulded architrave; the right side of the lean-to has a ground floor 2-light window and a blind first floor window, both with cambered heads, and a square attic light. To the right of the lean-to is a ground floor 2-light window with a cambered head and a second floor 2-light window. The south- east wing has a cellar window and a 2-light ground floor window at its gable end; to the left side are glazed double doors with transom light and cambered head and a 3-light first floor window; to the right side is a 2-light first floor window. Interior not inspected, but recorded as having retained part of its framing in the south-east wing (the former solar) including two cusped tie-beam trusses with cusped raking struts, which are decorated with scrolled vine paintings. The central room of the main part is also recorded as having fragments of panelling reset in C19 work inscribed with the name of John Culpepper. The Culpepper family occupied the house during C16 and early C17. The house stands on a moated site, the moat of which is still complete and filled with water. (VCH 3(i), p 11; FWB & Mary Charles, Conservation of Timber Buildings, p 87).

Listing NGR: SP0309162305