Soloman'S Court With Barn And Shelter Shed

SO 90 SW BISLEY-WITH-LYPIATT BOURNES GREEN

7/18 Soloman's Court with barn and shelter shed

28.6.60

II*

Detached house with outbuilding range. Early C17, possibly rebuilding of late medieval house. Random rubble limestone; ashlar chimneys; stone slate roof. Two-storey with attic. Attached stable and shelter shed range form courtyard on north east side. North east side: 3-window fenestration, all recessed cavetto mullioned leaded casements with hoodmoulds, 2 + 2-light with king mullion to ground floor right, 3-light above; 3-light to left, others all 2-light. Doorway with chamfered opening and plank door to left of centre. Offset buttress to left end possibly of earlier date than present house. Roof pitch reduced upon raising of eaves. Gable end chimneys, that to south east end with moulded cap. Lower outbuilding range attached to south east end, extended in north east direction in C20, linking with barn and stable, segmental arched passageway marking junction. Range returns on opposite side of courtyard, this section including 2-bay shelter shed. South west side: 2 gables to either end of this elevation are later additions upon mid C18 rebuilding of roof, each containing 2-light recessed chamfered mullioned casement with hoodmould. Central 2-light immediately below eaves also added in this alteration. Two casements to each floor arranged below gables, 2 and 3-light with hoodmoulds, mostly C20 restored. Off- centre doorway, aligned with that on north east side, has glazed door and timber lintel. Lower outbuilding to right has off-centre 2-light chamfered mullioned casement; eaves-mounted gabled dormer above. Interior: principal room on ground floor has very fine Jacobean plaster ceiling, central beam also being plastered with mouldings to beam chamfers and elaborated plaster stops. Similar chamfer below running leaf trail frieze to partition wall. Large stone Tudor arched fireplace with moulded opening. Stone spiral stair to left, access to room above now blocked. Room elaborated early C18 with Doric chimneypiece having fluted pilasters; niche with shell hood to right. Fielded panelling to casement shutters and to window seats. Very large stone slab jambs to fireplace with timber lintel in other ground floor room. Similar plasterwork and stone chimneypiece recorded in upper floor room. As with Upper Througham Farmhouse (q.v.) Soloman's Court was owned by the Smart family in C17 and C18, both houses exhibiting many parallels in their development. (N.M. Herbert, 'Bisley' in V.C.H. Glos. xi, 1976, pp 4-40; M.A. Rudd, Historical Records of Bisley with Lypiatt, 1937; and D. Verey, Gloucestershire: The Cotswolds, 1979)

Listing NGR: SO9079703750