The Bishop'S House

WOODSTOCK RECTORY LANE SP4416NW (South side) 9/237 The Bishop's House 18/10/49 (Formerly listed as Rectory) GV II* Rectory, now house. 1683-1686 for John Fell, Bishop of Oxford; Baroque-style additions c.1710 for Edward Strong. Coursed limestone rubble and squared and coursed limestone; gabled stone slate roof; end and lateral stacks of stone ashlar finished in brick. Cruciform plan, with angles to front infilled in early C18. Front has late C17 three-storey gable end flanked by early C18 two-storey blocks. Early C18 bracketed stone flat hood, with guttae to brackets, over C18 double-leaf doors set in moulded stone architrave. Door flanked by narrow C20 windows set in C17 chamfered stone architraves; C20 window with similar architrave and late C18 six-pane sash above door. Early C18 blocks, with corner piers rising above parapet, have late C19 canted bay window to left and keyed segmental arches over C19 six-pane sashes, and over late C19 plate-glass sash to right. Left side of block to left has massive bracketed open pediment set above early C18 six-pane sash with thick glazing bars, set in Baroque-style keyed architrave with guttae carved under brackets. Rest of house has late C17 chamfered stone architraves and late C18 six-pane sashes. Interior: noted as having bolection-moulded fireplaces and mid C18 panelled rooms. Built for the use of the Rector of Bladon. Edward Strong was owner of the Taynton quarries and therefore deeply involved in the building of Blenheim Palace: this was one of the houses which Sarah Churchill alleged had been built from stone paid for by the Blenheim account, and this would account for the additions to the house. (information from VCH; Buildings of England: Oxfordshire: p858)

Listing NGR: SP4431016707