10 Rowsham Road, Bierton

This is a timber-framed former hall house dating from the 16th century. It was substantially encased and remodelled in the 18th and 19th centuries, with later extensions added to the rear in the mid to late 20th century. The original timber-framed elements remain, now visible within brick elevations and beneath a clay tile roof.

Originally a hall house of three bays, with a narrow, off-centre smoke bay that later accommodated a stack, the third solar bay at the south end was removed or incorporated into an adjoining house in the 19th century. The house was remodelled in the 18th century to create a two-room cottage with an attic.

The cottage now appears as a two-bay structure of one storey with an attic. The exterior walls are of red/orange brick in a Flemish bond pattern, with a pitched roof, half-hipped at the north end. The west-facing front elevation features a central timber panelled door within a simple door case, the projecting head supported by slender carved consoles. Flanking the door are tripartite sash windows beneath segmental brick heads. A single inserted window is at the south end, in line with the inserted stack, and likely the original entrance position. Two small dormers with renewed brickwork are set within the attic gable. The rear (east) elevation is dominated by the later extensions. The south elevation adjoins the later house. The north elevation features a rendered section with a partially dismantled, shouldered external stack, to the left of which is a boarded window.

Inside, the timber frame of two bays is largely complete; the third bay to the south has been truncated. The frame consists of substantial timbers, pegged and jointed. On both floors, principal posts survive, and the framing of the south cross wall is intact. At the south end, the stack includes an inglenook fireplace with a bressumer and bread oven. The floor joists are lightly moulded axial bridging beams. The attic has exposed roof structure with wall plates. The trusses feature queen posts supporting clasped side purlins with arched wind braces, and arched braces support two substantial tie beams. Principal rafters and collars are present, along with some later support.