Bodsey House

Bodsey House is a building with a complex history, originating as a 13th-century hermitage associated with Ramsey Abbey. In the 14th century, a chapel of four bays, oriented east to west, was built, partially demolishing the earlier structure to the south. During the 16th century, the eastern bay of the chapel was removed and converted into a dwelling. A two-story timber-framed wing was added to the west facade in the 17th century, followed by further alterations and additions in the 18th and 19th centuries.

The fabric is stone rubble with quoins, buttresses, and window and door jambs of Barnack stone. Early brickwork is present, along with later painted and rendered brick, and plain tile gable roofs with bargeboards. The west facade features two projecting wings linked by a flat-roofed vestibule. The walls are rendered with flush plastered quoins and brick foundations. A brick and limestone side stack with three diagonal shafts rises north of the south wing. The small north wing has a splayed bay window with hung sashes and glazing bars, and a hung sash window in a boxed wooden frame above. The main range has two horizontal sliding sash windows with glazing bars.

The south facade, which originally formed part of the chapel, has Barnack stone foundations, a southwest quoin, and angle buttresses of two stages. Two original round-headed arches with moulded labels from the chapel are now sealed with modern window insertions. There is also a first-floor hung sash window with glazing bars, a casement window in a two-centred arch, and a plain tiled dormer with horizontal sliding sashes and glazing bars. The rebuilt east gable wall has a brick end stack with a moulded string and three diagonal shafts.

The east facade retains two 13th-century flat-arched, single-light windows with chamfered reveals. Four first-floor windows of varying sizes are present, separated by a band between floors. A large 16th-century side stack, constructed from reused Barnack stone and early brick, is located to the north.

The interior includes details from the original 13th-century building, such as two original cross-passage doors and a reused corbel within the main range. Features from the 16th and 17th centuries, including floor frames, are also present. The 17th-century wing features a coved timber ceiling and a fine four-centred arched stone chimney piece. A large 16th-century cooking hearth, constructed from reused Barnack stone, is in the kitchen. A staircase, recently inserted and taken from Priory Park, St Neots, dates to the 19th century.