Rowden

Rowden is a house that originally had 17th-century origins or earlier, probably beginning as a farmhouse or cottage. The building has been almost completely remodelled and extended during the mid and late 20th century. The earlier alterations were undertaken by the architect Philip Tilden, who owned the house in the early-mid 20th century. The walls are of stone rubble with a hipped thatch roof and three stone stacks, of which the one axial to the main range may possibly be original, whilst the others are 20th-century additions.

The original plan form has been entirely obscured by later alterations and additions, though the two rooms occupying the main range represent what remains of the early house. The mid-20th-century additions comprise a small rear wing and a projecting range at the front of the right-hand side, which on the first floor overhangs a form of loggia porch. To the right of this, projecting further forward, is another range added in 1970. In carrying out these mid-20th-century additions, a considerable amount of old material from other houses (presumably ones on which Philip Tilden was working) was introduced into Rowden, making it very difficult now to recognise what is actually original.

The exterior is two storeys with an asymmetrical front. The right-hand side projects in two stages with gable ends. The main range to the left has two windows with mid-20th-century 4-light leaded panes and wooden mullions. The first projecting part immediately to the right has a catslide roof to its left-hand side, and at the front the first floor overhangs considerably on a richly moulded beam supported on a carved post to the left. Below it is a 20th-century plank door set in a reused richly moulded 17th-century wooden doorframe. To the right of this is a reused 3-light stone mullion window. On the left-hand wall of this projection is a reused and partially reconstructed 15th-century stone mullion window with three lights and cinque-foiled heads. The section projecting at the right end was added in 1970 (a date recorded on the wall) and has a garage on the ground floor at the front. The rear elevation has similar 20th-century wooden mullion windows and also reuses a medieval arched doorway.

The interior contains some high-quality timber features, though all appear to be reused from other houses. The main room in the older part has an axial beam with foliage carving along it. The possibly original granite-framed fireplace has been filled with a 20th-century stone fireplace. At the rear of the room is an early 17th-century wooden double doorframe. The room to the rear reuses some 17th-century panelling with carved geometric design on the lower part of the walls. Its fireplace has a rough granite frame with some painting on it reputed to be by Philip Tilden. A high-quality late 17th-century staircase features barleytwist balusters, closed string and moulded handrail, with inlaid carving to the bannisters at the top. In the first-floor front room is a section of very fine moulded plank and muntin screen.

The true early origins of this house have been virtually completely concealed by 20th-century extension and remodelling, but these later works have their own interest not only because of the connection with the architect Philip Tilden but also because they incorporated the introduction of several high-quality 16th and 17th-century pieces of craftsmanship.