Bledlow Manor House Proposed Reinstatement of Windows and Doorway in Former Openings: Heritage Statement (Incorporating Design and Access) Frontispiece: Principal Eastern Elevation of Bledlow Manor House, 1812 (Enclosure Map, Held at the House) Page | 1 164 CBM Bledlow Manor: Heritage Statement Bledlow Conservation Area Character Survey Map ( (Wycombe District Council, 1996). The buildings at Lyde End have since been added to The National Heritage List for England Written by Guy Arnall, checked by James Hall Issue: 17/02/21 (Listed Building Submission) Contact Information: Peregrine Bryant Architecture and Building Conservation The Courtyard, Fulham Palace, Bishop’s Avenue, Fulham SW6 6EA [email protected] This report and all intellectual property rights in it and arising from it are the property of or are under licence to Peregrine Bryant Architects. 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Page | 2 164 CBM Bledlow Manor: Heritage Statement Contents 1.0 Summary ....................................................................................................................................... 6 2.0 Legislative Background .................................................................................................................. 6 2.1 Status of Site and Associated Buildings ..................................................................................... 6 2.2 Planning (Listed Building & Conservation Areas) Act 1990 ....................................................... 7 2.3 The NPPF ................................................................................................................................... 7 2.4 Wycombe District Local Plan ................................................................................................... 11 3.0 Historical Background.................................................................................................................. 16 3.1 The Rectory Manor of Bledlow................................................................................................ 16 3.2 The Carrington Family; Barons Carrington .............................................................................. 18 3.3 History of Bledlow Manor House ............................................................................................ 21 3.3.1 Origins .............................................................................................................................. 21 3.3.2 Early Eighteenth Century Reconstruction ........................................................................ 24 3.3.3 Interim Phase of Work: c.1720-30.................................................................................... 25 3.3.4 Later-Eighteenth Century ................................................................................................. 36 3.3.5 Early Nineteenth Century Modification ........................................................................... 36 3.3.6 Undated Historic Changes ................................................................................................ 38 3.3.7 Post-WW2 Alterations ...................................................................................................... 47 3.3.8 c.1953 Alterations ............................................................................................................ 51 4.0 Proposals and Potential Impact................................................................................................... 54 4.1 Proposed Reinstatement of windows and Doorway in Former Openings .............................. 54 4.2 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................... 62 5.0 Bibliography ................................................................................................................................. 63 Appendix 1: List Entry Page | 3 164 CBM Bledlow Manor: Heritage Statement Figures Figure 1: Heavily worn basement staircase ST02, formed in 2” brickwork......................................... 22 Figure 2: Remains of decorative brickwork to C17 stack are still visible, below the later roofline .... 23 Figure 3: Smoke Hole to south of C17 chimney stack. The blocked access hatch to Room F4 is just visible, LHS of picture. ........................................................................................................................... 23 Figure 4: The existing southern elevation. Though it too has seen revision, this southern view provides best impression of how the house appeared in the early-C18. Reconstruction around the C17 core resulted in the curiously off-centre chimney stack to middle. This elevation featured Cross- Mullion windows right up until c.1954. The central dormer too is an early- C20 insertion. The contrasting brickwork continues to be dulled by the remains of C19 colourwash, particularly to those areas sheltered by the eaves. ............................................................................................................... 25 Figure 5: Staircase at 6 Cheyne Walk, 1718 (Godfrey, 1909, p. 56) ..................................................... 27 Figure 6: Curious construction of Staircase ST-03 (LEFT) and removed attic joists (RIGHT) ................ 27 Figure 7: Remains of the original wall plate to the east elevation, with parapet brickwork of the raised attic storey simply laid on top. Below, timber grounds may be seen, utilised to apply the later timber cornice which once ran across this elevation. Pocket for (now entirely decayed joist may also be seen above). ..................................................................................................................................... 28 Figure 8: Decayed remains hip rafter and former wall plate remains to the eastern elevation of Bledlow Manor House. ......................................................................................................................... 28 Figure 9: Serious cracking to the parapet corner caused by outward roof thrust along the unseated hip rafter. .............................................................................................................................................. 29 Figure 10: Remains of the original wall plate to the east elevation, with parapet brickwork of the raised attic storey simply laid on top. Below, timber grounds may be seen, utilised to apply the later timber cornice which once ran across this elevation. The former first floor ceiling joists (now attic floor joists) may be seen projecting through the brickwork. Death-watch flight holes are clearly in evidence. ............................................................................................................................................... 29 Figure 11: Split-lath tile battens to the roof slope of the northern cross-wing. Their presence below the line of abutment for the raised-attic ridge clearly indicates that cross-wing preceded work to raise the attic storey. Not the absence of any ridge board to the later storey attic roof structure, indicating pre-C19 work (foreground) .................................................................................................. 30 Figure 12: Late-C17/early-C18 Ormeley Lodge, Ham. Note the twin Oeil-de-Boeuf windows within the gable of the Mid-C18 extension ..................................................................................................... 30 Figure 13: Principal eastern elevation of Bledlow Manor House. The former oeil-de-Boeuf window locations are highlighted. The cementitious string course can clearly be seen. Inserted flowing removal of the run of timber modillion eave decoration, it has caused severe decay to structural timbers. ................................................................................................................................................. 31 Figure 14: Evidence for former oeil-de-boeuf windows to eastern elevation of Bledlow Manor House. Those to the RHS, though indistinct within the photograph, are clearly evident on site. ................... 31 Figure 15: Southern cross-wing reveal to the principal elevation showing red-brick dressings to former window openings. ..................................................................................................................... 32 Figure 16: Window to southern cross-wing reveal, internal view. ....................................................... 32 Page | 4 164 CBM Bledlow Manor: Heritage Statement Figure 17: Northern cross-wing reveal to the principal elevation showing red-brick dressings to former window openings. ..................................................................................................................... 33 Figure 19: Window to Northern cross-wing reveal, internal view. ....................................................... 33 Figure 20: Principal (eastern) elevation detail showing red-brick dressings to former window openings. Note also the unsightly