History

The Church of St David, begun in 1849 to the design of T H Wyatt, was built by Lord and Lady Fielding in honour of their marriage. The Guest House was intended to be the vicarage, and is also by Wyatt. However, the church became Roman Catholic on the conversion of the donors, and a vicarage was no longer required. Lord and Lady Fielding established a community of Franciscan Friars of the Capuchin reform in 1852, who lived in this building before the friary was completed in the early 1860s. It subsequently became the guest house. The range linking the friary and guest house was probably constructed at the same time.

Exterior

Three-window 2-storey range in Gothic style facing S. Two-gable rear wing with single-storey L-shaped range adjoining NW angle. Constructed of snecked grey stone with sandstone dressings under slate roofs with stone stacks. Detail includes quoins, a string course to the 1st floor, stone eaves cornice, kneelers, raised copings to gables, and windows consisting of grouped cusped lancets. The front range has a projecting stack to the L end and diagonal buttresses to the angles. Central chamfered doorway with shallow-pointed arched head under a hoodmould, containing a late C20 door with overlight. To the L is a 4-light window with transom, and to the R a canted bay window, also with transom, and with parapets. The upper storey has a 3-light window to the L, a 2-light window to the R and a further 2-light window to the centre under a gablet containing a small trefoil. The E gable end of the front range has a pair of 2-light windows to the lower storey with transoms. Centrally-placed above is a dressed stone oriel window under a hipped stone-tiled roof, with a pointed-arched window with 2 cusped lancets and a trefoil. The E rear range has a ridge stack with 4 chimney pots. Three-light window with transom to lower storey with a single light to its R, and 3-light window to 1st floor under a gablet. No openings to W gable end of front range. The W rear range has a lateral stone stack, and a small lean-to porch with planked door under a segmental head to L and a cusped lancet to the R. Three-light window with transom above. The small L-shaped range to the L has a projecting stack to the W end and a 4-light window facing S, the lights with shouldered heads. No openings to W side.

The rear of the building is 2-gable with a narrow gablet between and has cusped lancets to the upper storey and flat-headed windows below. The rear of the W range is slightly advanced, with a 3-light window to the upper storey and 2 x 2-light windows below. Single light to each storey under gablet. The gable of the E range has no openings, and the single-storey linking range joins the wall beneath.

The friary and guest house are linked by a low single-storey range which runs at an angle between them, joining both to the rear. It has a full-height gabled porch to the centre which forms the entrance to the friary. Wide moulded Tudor-arched doorway under a hoodmould, containing late C20 partly glazed doors with overlight. Diagonal buttresses to angles, kneelers and raised copings and tall finial to gable apex. In the gable is a statue of a man holding a crucifix within a trefoil-headed niche. This is flanked by blank shield motifs. Two-light windows under flat heads to each side of porch, the lights with cusped ogee heads. Small bell cupola to ridge between main range and porch. Small central gabled bay to rear of linking range with end stack. To the R is a 2-light window, the lights with segmental heads. To the far L, the range continues as a lean-to against the rear wall of the friary. Planked door with Tudor-arched head with 2-light window to L and further 2-light window with transom to R under a gablet.

Interior

No access to interior at time of inspection.

Reasons for Listing

Listed grade II* as a fine Gothic-style vicarage, which later became part of a friary.
An important part of the group at Pantasaph.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q17743514

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

• 
  The Listed Buildings and Other Principal Structures at the Royal Gunpowder Mills Waltham Abbey
• 
  Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Renovating Old Houses: Bringing New Life to Vintage Homes (For Pros By Pros)
• 
  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of Historic Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
• 
  Setting up a Listed Building Heritage Partnership Agreement: Historic England Advice Note 5