Description

SPAXTON
ST 23 NW BARFORD ROAD
2310 3615 (west side off)
2/170 Four Forks
II* (star) Clerks Cottage

Hall house, now agricultural building. Probably C15, with later
alterations particularly in the C16/17 and early C20. Cob, rubble
brought to course and C20 brickwork. Roof of corrugated iron and some
pantiles. L-shaped plan comprising: 4½ bay range with open hall passage
running south-west/north east and having storeyed solar at west end;
2-storey, 3 bay wing projects at right angles on north west; adjoining
the south-east side of the hall range a C20 pent-roofed farm building
not of special interest. Door and windows are mostly timber-lintel led.
North east elevation:- the wing has 2 doorways (left one part blocked)
and 2 wood framed windows above; roof hipped on left with renewed brick
ridge stack near left end. The hall range, projecting forward, has its
gable a blocked ground floor opening and another above (and board door
to lean-to farm building). Its right (inner) return has a board door to
former through passage in bay 2, and to bay 3 an inserted window and
door under single timber lintel; the 2 left bays have pantile roof.

South west-(rear) elevation:-some cob to centre and C20 brick to right
of this; doorway to left of centre, the walling above it broken through
to form taking in door, ground floor windows to its left. and right and
another doorway with window over to brick section. Eaves stacks to
ends. North-west (right)gable:- Central part is of cob with pebble.
inclusions on thinly-coursed rubble plinth with central buttress, corners
and gable of rubble, and eaves of C20 brick. South-east (left)
elevation:- hall range (masked by lean-to) has C17 wood-mullioned window
on left, C20 wood-framed window to centre, and doorway to
through-passage on its right.

Interior: hall range:3 bay open hall with through passage and ½ bay
smoke bay. The latter with inserted large scantling chamfered
cross-beam having mortices for former joists and against its east side
remains of an inserted corner fireplace. At the south-west end, plank
and muntin panelling separates off the storeyed end bay, the panelling
having traces of limewash and painted black pattern; at the south-west
end, a chamfered cross-beam and later corner fireplace; later stairs up
to the 1st floor chamber which has wide floor boards on square section
joists which project into the hall forming internal jetty. The roof of
this range has smoke blackened timbers. There are 5 roof trusses with
jointed crucks and arch braces;some of the wall posts and "crucks" now
gone; part of the square section ridge piece, 2 collars, some large
scantling purlins and one curved wind-brace in the smoke bay survive.
At the south west end is framing for former lip in north east truss
sockets for wattles in timbers indicate that this was originally a
closing truss.

Wing: fireplace at junction with hall range has chamfered, cambered,
timber lintel and chamfered stone jambs with triangular stops, the stack
is of wattle and daub with rubblestone at top. inserted north west
corner fireplace. Trusses between bays have wall posts (some gone); ½
pyramidal - stopped broad - chamfered cross beams supporting
square-sectioned joists with broad floor boards above; and on 1st floor
they rise into roof trusses of the same type as those in the hall having
large scantling trenched purlins and square-section ridge-piece and
rafters, the truss which crosses the stack having queen posts and
collar, and the north-easternmost truss having a cambered collar with
mortices for former queen posts and former wattles (possibly from former
smoke hood rather than end wall since purlins and ridge piece continue
to end wall which has butted boards in gable. Between the 2 north
eastern bays is a framed, former lime-washed wattle and daub partition
wall with a narrow 2-centred-arched doorway and above it a
scissor-braced roof truss (one of the braces fallen out).

In state of dereliction at time of inspection.

Listing NGR: ST2311236095

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17553503

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

• 
  Harrow on the Hill: A photographic portrayal of listed buildings and structures (Historic Buildings Picture Guides)
• 
  London 4: North: North v. 4 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Setting up a Listed Building Heritage Partnership Agreement: Historic England Advice Note 5
• 
  Herefordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)