Description

CLAIFE

1267/0/10002 Low Wray Farmstead
20-JUL-04

II
Planned Farmstead with integral dwelling. c.1840 with late C19 additions and alterations. Rubble stone brought to courses, with worked dressings, ball finials, slate roof coverings laid to diminishing courses, replaced in some areas with corrugated sheeting. Re-built and extended by Dr James Dawson as the home farm for the Wray Castle Estate.
PLAN: Evolved courtyard plan, comprising a substantial BANK BARN forming the eastern boundary, a STABLE and COACH HOUSE to the south, a COWHOUSE added to the north-west of the stable and a DWELLING to the north end of the farmyard.
EXTERIOR: L-shaped 2 storey BANK BARN with central gablet, advanced wing to north and underhousing set below full-length pentise to west front. 3 doorways with half glazed doors give access to standings, and 8 window openings, some glazed, some with ventilation screens. Hayloft floor above with 5 openings, the central one a taking-in door, flanked by 2 openings on either side with ventilation screens. The openings are set beneath deep lintels with plain hoodmoulds. Gable to advanced wing at north end with 2 ground floor windows and an upper storey opening with ventilation screen. Rear elevation set into bank with doorway to east gable of north wing giving access to loft floor from elevated track to the rear of the building. Further south, a low lean-to, then a double doorway to the main hayloft level of the barn. To the left of this, a lean-to extending from eaves level over feed stores accessed by means of chutes from the rear track. STABLE and COACH HOUSE extends to west and south from south gable of bank barn. Main east-west range with wide off-centre gablet adorned with decorative barge boards, and an oculus the gable apex. Left-hand side with ground floor stable door with overlight flanked by 6 over 6 pane sash windows. Above, a tall taking-in door with overlight, matching that set below the occulus to the centre. This has a sash window below , and an inserted or altered opening to the right with a 2-light glazing bar casement frame. Below this, an altered doorway, and, to the right, a 2 storeyed addition extending southwards with a single window to its gable. Elevation to farmyard with gablet incorporating 2 ventilation openings and slit breathers. Below, ar first floor level, 4 openings, 2 with screens , a third with a 6 over 6 pane sash frame and the fourth a larger inserted sash frame to the left of centre. The stable range has a central chimney with diagonally-set stacks. A small lean- to extends from north-west corner, and behind this a later lean to is set against the west gable of the stable. The COACH HOUSE is located in the upper level of the east end of the stable, its double doorway set within an added porch cochere-like canopy with a pyramidal roof with corrugated sheet covering. The COWHOUSE comprises 2 parallel single storeyed ranges with a small covered yard between, extending from the north-west corner of the stable, and partially enclosing the yard on the west side. The integral DWELLING HOUSE of 2 phases is located at the north end of the yard, both parts of double pile plan form. The earlier phase to the north is of 2 storeys and 3 bays with gable stacks and elongated quoining to the corners. The central doorway is set within an open porch, and has a half glazed 6-panel door. Flanking the doorway are tall 2-light casements, and above are 3 upper floor window openings with semi-circular heads to the 2-light casements. The extension to the south has a set-back rear pile, both ranges with doorways and sash frames to the south ends. All window openings have deep lintels and hood moulds.
INTERIORS: BANK BARN with altered underhousing standings, but with extant water turbine and chamber at south end, with ground floor vertical and horizontal shafting, bevel gearing and belt drums. Hayloft roof carried on shallow strutted king post trusses and 3 tiers of purlins, the upper tiers with diagonal bracing. Stable roof similarly detailed. Stable interior with wooden stall partitions and vertical wall boarding. Lined-out wall plaster survives, together with moulded cornices. A short colonnade is carried on Tuscan columns, and the stable incorporates a harness room with an cast -ron range and built-in storage cupboards for tack. Upper floor hay loft, and access stair to grooms room with fireplace. Other interiors not inspected.
HISTORY: An earlier farmstead occupied this site, which was sold in 1824 to John Marr. In the late 1830's it was sold to James Dawson who remodelled and extended the steading as part of his developing Wray Castle estate.The architect H.P. Horner, the designer of Wray Castle is thought to have possibly been involved in the modifications to the farmstead, which was further extended in the later C19, with the enlargement of the dwelling house and the addition of the cowhousing and covered yard. The steading was purchased by the National Trust in 1948.

An extensive and well-preserved planned farmstead of c.1840, developed as the home farm of the Wray Castle estate. The design of the complex leans heavily upon local vernacular building traditions and detailing, the core buildings being a large bank barn and a similarly detailed Stable range. However, the complex also reflects displays characteristics of 'improved' farm management in the use of powered feed processing, spacious and well-ventilated standings and loft storage, and in the attention paid to both external and internal detailing.

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26670422

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Hampshire: Winchester and the North (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Yorkshire West Riding: Sheffield and the South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  The Listed Buildings and Other Principal Structures at the Royal Gunpowder Mills Waltham Abbey
• 
  Gloucestershire 2: The Vale and The Forest of Dean: Vale and Forest of Dean Pt. 2 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)