Witch of the Woods House Approximately 500 Metres North of Cowmyers is a Grade II listed building in the North Yorkshire local planning authority area, England. First listed on 11 June 1986. House. 1 related planning application.

Witch of the Woods House Approximately 500 Metres North of Cowmyers

WRENN ID
dark-rafter-reed
Grade
II
Local Planning Authority
North Yorkshire
Constituency
Skipton and Ripon MP: Sir Julian Smith (Con)
Country
England
Date first listed
11 June 1986
Type
House
Address
Witch of the Woods House Approximately 500 Metres North of Cowmyers, HG4 3NF
OS grid reference
SE 267 732
Coordinates
54.15396, -1.5915
Source
Historic England listing

Also on this page: related consents · flood risk · radon risk · weather exposure · detailed attributes ↓

Description

Witch of the Woods House is a house located approximately 500 metres north of Cowmyers. It dates from the 17th century, with significant alterations made in 1717 and restoration in the 20th century. The building features coursed cobbles and a pantile roof, and is one and a half storeys tall with two bays, plus a one-bay addition on the right end.

The house has a central gabled porch with a board door. To the left, there are double-chamfered mullion windows with three lights, while the right side has a window with four lights and a narrow fire-window. Under the eaves, there are two two-light casement windows. The end stacks are made of stone, and on the south side of the right stack, there is a datestone inscribed with 'W' (George Wells) G M 1717.

The bay on the right has only a board door. Although the interior was not inspected in detail, it is noted that the house is no longer divided into separate rooms and is only lofted over at the right end. The cross-beam and joists have been removed from the west end, and the roof is supported by A-frames with straight timbers of small scantling. The previously mentioned cruck truss was not visible.

Henry Wells of Cowmyers bequeathed the 'Old Firehouse' to his three younger sons, one of whom was George. In 1716, one son, William, was selling his share of the house, suggesting that the entire property may have been for sale. The datestone at Witch of the Woods likely marks the major alterations made by George Wells when he moved there from the 'Old Firehouse' in 1717.

Local climate

Witch of the Woods House Approximately 500 Metres North of Cowmyers receives an average of 850 mm of rain a year. This makes it wetter than 58% of listed buildings in the UK. Its exposure to wind-driven rain is lower than that of 64% of listed buildings.

It experiences an average of 46 freeze-thaw cycles a year, more than 87% of listed buildings. Of these, 25 follow at least 1 mm of rain in the preceding 48 hours. Average temperatures at this location have risen by 0.3°C per decade since 1991.

Averages for 1991–2020; temperature trend 1991–2025. Figures describe the wider area (a grid cell of roughly 10 km), not the individual site. Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2026.

More on this building

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  • No EPC on record for this property
  • No sale records on file
  • Related listed building consents — 1 application
  • Detailed attributes — period, style, materials, features
  • Flood risk assessment
  • Radon risk assessment
  • Weather exposure and heating demand — rain and frost month by month and year by year, wind direction, solar and humidity
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  6. Prospect House Grade II 1.5 km
  7. Holmgrange Grade II 1.6 km
  8. Dormer Cottage Grade II 1.7 km
  9. Barn Grade II 1.8 km
  10. Braithwaite Hall Grade II 2.0 km