Building record 6294/2/1 - The Riverside (Formerly The Railway Hotel)

Formerly known as the Railway Hotel, the Riverside Hotel was built in circa 1845 as the public house and hotel associated with the railway station at Oundle, on the London to Birmingham line. The former hotel, with stable complex at the rear is a double pile construction with attached service wing built in coursed stone. The gable roofs have slate and some replacement concrete tile coverings. There are paired and tripartite mullion or mullion and transom windows on all elevations and all openings have ashlar surrounds. The stables are of a similar construction and comprise an open-fronted element to the left and store to the right with hay loft above. Inside the building has been remodelled and has lost all the lower ground floors. There are no fixtures or fittings remaining with the exception of one plain wooden fireplace surround in the service wing and the stairs in the main part of the building. It is possible that the hotel was deisgned by J.W. Livock the same architect as the railway buildings.

{1} Railway Hotel (Public House), Station Road. The building is still standing, but is now out of use and derelict. The structure is similar in design to the railway station. Film 7, photo 19, 20.

{2} The Riverside, formerly The Railway Hotel, is of a single storey with attics and comprises two parallel ranges with parapeted gables approximating to class 8. It was built between 1845 and 1851. The design is of the Tudor style, complementing that of the station opposite.

{4} The Riverside Hotel was built in c. 1845, as the public house associated with the railway station at Oundle, on the London and Birmingham Railway (1845 -1964). It is possible that it was designed by the same architect as the railway, J.W. Livock, a prolific architect of railway buildings, 5 of which are listed, but this is uncertain as many railway public houses were built and run by private contractors. A survey of the Ashton estate shows the hotel in 1853, suggesting that it is broadly contemporary with the station building. The building has remained in its current configuration since that time, but has been altered by the replacement of the windows and internally, where most historic fixtures and fittings have been removed. It has been vacant for approximately 20 years.

Former railway hotel, with stable complex to the rear. Double pile construction with attached service wing and built in randomly coursed stone with ashlar quoins. The gable roofs have slate and some replacement concrete tile coverings, coped parapets with shoulders and paired ashlar, axial stacks. There are paired and tripartite mullion or mullion and transom windows on all elevations and all openings have ashlar surrounds. The fenestration, however, is late 20th century. The façade has a slightly projecting central gable with entrance door with two lights above.

The stables are of similar construction and comprise an open-fronted element to the left and store to right with hay loft above.

The building has been remodelled and has lost all the lower ground floors. There are no fixtures and fittings remaining, with the exception of one plain wooden fireplace surround in the service wing and the stairs in the main part of the building.

The Railway Hotel is not recommended for designation for the following principal reasons. It is a standard railway public house building of c. 1845 which does not share the same quality of design as the listed railway station with which it is associated or other listed railway hotels. It has been altered internally with consequent loss of plan-form and historic fixtures and fittings.

{5} Seven photos dated 08.12.1993.

<1> Ballinger J., 1999, Northamptonshire Extensive Urban Survey: Oundle (Industrial), (unchecked) (Digital archive). SNN100257.

<2> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1984, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.18 Site 8 (checked) (Series). SNN77384.

<3> ENGISH HERITAGE, English Heritage Listing File, (unchecked) (Report). SNN111579.

<4> ENGISH HERITAGE, English Heritage Listing File, Heritage Protection Adviser, 20th October 2009 (Report). SNN111579.

<5> Photographs of buildings in Oundle (Photographs). SNN114658.

<6> Historic England, THE RIVERSIDE, ASHTON, BF084338 (Archive). SNN115034.

Record last edited

Mar 25 2025 10:53AM