Ye Anciente House

WOODSTOCK HIGH STREET SP4416NE (South side) 10/106 No.20 (Ye Anciente House) 18/10/49 (Formerly listed as "Ye Ancient House") GV II* House, now house and 2 shops. Early C17, with early C18 alterations. Coursed limestone rubble; gabled concrete tile roof; end stacks of rendered stone finished in C20 brick. L-plan with rear right wing. 2 storeys and attic; 5-window range to double-gabled front. Central doorway of c.1700: six-panelled (2 glazed) door set in raised segmental-arched architrave with imposts; wrought-iron scroll brackets support bracketed pediment hood with foliate-carved brackets finished in carved heads. C20 bay window to right. Early C17 carved wood lintel with Sun Alliance Fire insurance plaque over late C18 horizontal-sliding sash above door. Flat stone arches over C18 six-pane sashes, with thick glazing bars to two first-floor windows to right. Gabled outer bays have fine carved wood lintels over early C17 three-light ovolo-moulded wood-mullioned windows; finely-carved barge boards, with pendentives to right. Rear: central outshut has early C17 carved wood lintels and early C17 studded door. Stair-turret has mid C18 outshut to left with 6-pane sashes. Early C17 two-storey bay to rear right; has end stack of rendered stone finished in brick, and finely carved wood lintel over late C17 four-light wood-mullioned and transomed window; C17 one-storey range to rear of this has chamfered bar-stopped timber lintel over C17 plank door and C18 horizontal-sliding sash with thick glazing bars. Interior: boxed beans and winder stairs. Early C18 bolection-panelled room with fireplace and bolection-panelled doors to left. Rear wing: ogee-stopped beams; rear room, built as back kitchen, has large open fireplace with wood bressumer; winder stairs. First floor: C18 panelled doors: ogee-stopped beams; moulded cornice and mid C18 panelling in room to left; mid C18 cupboard and fireplace in room to right, which has stop-chamfered doorframe to rear. Collar-truss roofs with butt purlins. Initials W/T.E. carved on front are probably those of Thomas Williams (d.1636 and mayor 1630-2) and his wife Elizabeth: the Williams family provided Woodstock mayors and aldermen from the mid C16. (Information from the VCH)

Listing NGR: SP4453616683