Old Priory

SO 8203-8303 WOODCHESTER NORTH WOODCHESTER

14/233 Old Priory

28.6.60

GV I

Large country house. c1580; extensive C18, c1830 and c1870 alterations, last probably by William Clissold. Ashlar limestone with some roughcast render; ashlar chimneys; stone slate roof. Two-storey with attic - upper floor becoming piano nobile in C18; C19 tower on north side of original H-plan. South front: 2 gabled wings project either side of re-entrant, each wing with facing opposed gables. Moulded stone steps to central doorway with bracketted cornice and C20 6-panel fielded door; flanking single recessed chamfered fixed lights. Gable above with chimney and off-centre 2-light upper floor casement. All gables have roll moulded coping with finials. Canted 2-storey C19 bay windows on centre-line of wing gables with mullioned and transomed casements, plain canted base and crenellated parapet. West side: central gable; 3-window C19 enlarged mullioned and transomed fenestration to piano nobile, left in form of canted oriel with openwork stone parapet. Four 2-light casements to ground floor, 2 to right possibly original, others C19. Three-light C19 attic casement in gable with chimney to left and small parapet gabled eaves-mounted attic dormer with 2-light casement beyond. North side: 2-gabled wings with re-entrant between as to south except for addition of c1870 tower to inner side of west wing, originally with tall pyramid roof, removed in C20; upper floor mullioned and transomed oriel set at 45º with coped top and moulded base. C19 glazed lean-to between wings with original 2- and 3-light recessed cavetto mullioned leaded casements above; 3-light to upper floor in central dormer. East end: C19 fenestration to piano nobile; small canted attic oriel in central gable. Interior: C18 raising of driveway and creation of piano nobile has left ground floor for service use. Much late C16 panelling on both main floors, especially to room in north east corner, having lozenge decoration to upper panels and matching stone fireplace with more elaborate panelling above. Hall remodelled cl83O with 2-bay pointed arched ceiling having moulded ribs and openwork Gothic corbels. Gallery added on south side with timber balustrade. Some Victorian work has been removed, restoring the interior to a late Regency Gothic appearance. Built on the site of an earlier manor house, known as the Manor until late C18. Stables and Stable Cottage stand to north (q.v.); gazebo to south west (q.v.). (W.N.R.J. Black, A History of Woodchester, 1972; W.J. Sheils, 'Woodchester' in V.C.H. Glos xi, 1976, pp.294-304; and D. Verey, Gloucestershire: The Cotswolds, 1979.)

Listing NGR: SO8393403170