Begbroke Hill Farmhouse

BEGBROKE SANDY LANE SP41SE (North side) 3/1 Begbroke Hill Farmhouse

26/11/51

• II

Farmhouse, now offices. c.1604 for Humphrey Fitzherbert. Coursed limestone rubble; gabled artificial stone slate roof with moulded kneelers to stone acoping; stone end stacks. Double-depth plan. Jacobean style. 2 storeys and attic; 5-window range. 3-storey central porch has pyramidal finials to stone-coped gable; 2- and 3-light ovolo-moulded stone-mullioned windows; label mould over chamfered shallow-arched doorway with roundels set in spandrels and C20 door. Similar 3-light and 4-light windows; similar 2-light windows set in gabled dormers to end bays with pyramidal finials to stone-coped gables. Similar windows to sides and rear. C19 rear extension. Early C17 blocked chamfered pointed arch with moulded imposts to C17 cellar to rear right. Interior: porch has plaster quadripartite vaulted ceiling and stop-chamfered segmental-arched doorway. Stone-flag floors, Quartered beams to right, have moulded cornices and trailing scrolls and flowers to soffits of beams and frieze. Stop-chamfered beams to left and first floor. Restored winder stairs to rear right. Moulded and arched stone fireplace with sunk spandrels to first floor room on left. Butt-purlin roof, In 1604 Fitzherbert was accused of ruining nearby roads by the frequent use of "late carriages for his buildings". (Buildings of England: Oxfordshire: p450; Information from the VCH)

Listing NGR: SP4793313466