Philpots

House. Philpots has 16th-century origins, remodelled circa 1830s and again circa 1920. The 16th-century wing is framed construction, tile-hung and underbuilt in brick on the ground floor of the east side. The later phases are brick with tile-hanging to the first floor; the early 19th-century brickwork features blue headers; brick stacks; peg-tile roof.

Plan and Development

The present house faces south with a crosswing at the west end and additional blocks to the north. The 2-cell west crosswing is the earliest surviving part of the building and probably represents the parlour wing only of the original house. It is heated from back-to-back fireplaces in an axial stack, the front (south) room a high quality parlour, the north room much plainer with considerable alteration but incorporating a straight stair of 16th or early 17th-century date. The main range consists of a grand 1830s stair and entrance hall to the west with an Edwardian drawing room to the east. The present kitchen is in a probably 1920s block at the north end of the crosswing and a second block adjoins the rear of the main range.

Exterior

2 storeys. Asymmetrical 2-window south front. A change in the brickwork marks out the early 19th-century work to the left (west) from the 1920 phase to the right. Early 19th-century plank and cover strip front door to the left with a gabled porch hood, flanked by 1-light small-pane timber windows. 2 first floor small-pane timber casements, probably early 20th-century in date, one 3-light casement to ground floor right with square leaded panes, also early 20th-century. The east elevation of the wing has 2 tall early 20th-century ground floor windows with square leaded panes and 2 2-light first floor early 20th-century timber casements with small panes. The rear (west) elevation of the wing has also been re-windowed in the early 20th century including a 2-storey bay window with transomed lights. The fenestration to the rest of the house is a mixture of early and late 20th-century.

Interior

The south ground floor room of the crosswing preserves a fine 16th-century ceiling of richly-moulded intersecting beams in 8 panels with exposed joists. The main crossbeam is supported on short arched braces with carved spandrels, including a Tudor rose. The early 20th-century chimney-piece incorporates a probably re-sited iron fireback, dated 1571. The moulded doorframe with carved spandrels and a keyblock with the Royal Arms is probably early 19th-century. The north room of the crosswing has a replaced crossbeam, rebuilt fireplace and probably re-used joists. 17th-century wall panelling has been re-sited on the north wall, screening off a narrow, straight stair with solid baulk oak steps. The stair has been altered at the bottom of the flight but may have originally risen in front of a doorway in the west wall of the wing. The first floor south room in the wing has a Jacobean chimney-piece, not necessarily in its original position with carved demi-figures and round-headed blind arcading with 2 panels of inlaid wood, possibly Italian, representing perspectival scenes of classical architecture. The chimney-piece incorporates an iron fireback dated 1534. The entrance hall has a fine open well stick baluster stair of circa 1830 with a steeply-curved handrail. The walls have been panelled in the circa 1920s and the balustrade has been grained. The 1920s east end room in the main range is panelled.

Roof

The roof over the south end of the west wing is entirely 20th-century. Other roofs were not accessible at the time of survey in 1988.

Historical Context

Philpots was a sub-manor within the manor of Dachurst and passed from the de Philpot family by marriage to the successful local yeoman Children family. In the 17th century it descended by marriage to the Polhill family. By the end of the 18th century the sub-manor had been reduced to 30 acres.