Apperley Hall

DEERHURST B4213, Lower Apperley SO 82 NE (south side)

3/38 Apperley Hall 4.7.60 II Large farmhouse. Late C16 or early C17, enlarged C17, minor alterations early C18, early C19, some windows altered mid C20. Timber-framed, brick nogging and wattle-and-daub infill, brick gable on right end, tiled roof. Main block 3 bays, one room deep, 2 storeys; 2½ storey cross wing left end, with 2½ storey single bay, 2-room deep extension on left. To yard: low brick wing on right not of special interest. Right end of ground floor framing replaced by brickwork: 2-light C20 casement; 6-panel door, weatherboard over; small 2-light C20 wooden casement; old 2-light casement, long brace from missing sill to main post. Above 2 and single-light C20 casements, 3-light frame set lower over door, originally with 'Cheese Room' on board attached to it; to left, normal level, 3-light casement, leaded lights, old glass, iron opening light. On left cross wing projects: C20 French door; 2- light mullion-and-transom window over, iron opening light, weatherboard over. Braces main posts to tie-beam: truss partly weatherboarded, two- collars with 4-pane window between. To left later framing, 3 panels high per floor: 2-light window ground floor. External brick chimney right return, chimney behind ridge to right of cross wing, and on ridge of later extension to left. Left return, stone plinth, framing 3-panel high per floor; 2-light casement replaces door on right, blocked doorway left, boarded door beyond. Above 3 and 2-light C20 casements, 2 gable trusses, each with 2 collars, blocked window in right, 4-pane in left. Bear and ragged staff as finial on rear gable cross wing. Interior: cellar below front half cross wing. Wide fireplaces, stone jambs, timber lintel in cross wing and room to right; ceiling beams with wide chamfers, pyramid stops in room to right. Jacobean panelling forms partition behind door to yard, with open lattice over: 2-panel door to right. First floor, 3-board C17 door, moulded edges; 2-board door with wooden pull and 2 wooden locks, 5-panel C17 door; end bay on right open to roof, next bay cambered floor over with exposed joists. Roof, angled struts to principals, one or two pairs purlins, no ridge piece: straight braces to purlins. In early C19 passage formed in left extension to door to rear: marginal-light window inserted to rear corner of cross wing, replaced C20. May be on site of earlier building, from which badge of Earl of Warwick (bear and ragged staff) taken. House called Birch Place in C19. (V.C.H. Gloucestershire, Vol VIII, 1968; D. Verey, Gloucestershire, the Vale and the Forest of Dean, 1970; old photohgraph at N.M.R.)

Listing NGR: SO8621427249