Grafton Villas

SP 75 SW 4/27 01/12/51

BLISWORTH NORTHAMPTON ROAD (West side) Nos.25 and 27 (Grafton Villas) (Formerly listed as Grafton Villas)

GV II

Pair of semi-detached cottages. 1838. Limestone ashlar, hipped slate roof, central stone internal stack. Double-depth plan. 2-storey, 3-window range. Central block has 16-pane sash windows to ground and first floors with moulded stone surrounds, and is flanked by lower 2-storey wings. These wings house staircase hall and have panelled doors in stone porches with Tuscan pillars and pilasters, plain frieze, moulded cornice and blocking cornice; blank rectangular panel above porch. Plinth, storey band, moulded stone cornice and blocking cornice. Interior: stone cantilever staircases with cast-iron balustrade and columns supporting landing and ramped and wreathed mahogany hand-rail. Stone-flagged floors; some original stone chimneypieces. No.27 has original back staircase leading from kitchen Part of an extensive building programme undertaken by the Grafton estate under the direction of the agent John Gardner and referred to in his letter of 19th October 1838 "I have chosen the site for, and set out the double cottage this morning, it will have a Lodge-like effect, and be an ornamental adjunct to the Archway as well as shew off or stone to the best advantage". (Grafton papers G4034/2 accounts G3901). The cottages stand beside the railway bridge (q.v.) on the main road to Northampton, referred to in letter as "the Archway". They are built of local stone from the Grafton estate quarry at Blisworth (q.v, Stone Works Farmhouse). (Grafton papers Northamptonshire Record Office; J. Steane 'The Northamptonshire Landscape', 1974, pp240-1)

Listing NGR: SP7278654114