Building record 812/0/11 - No.38 Lower Benefield & Attached Outbuilding

Originally of a simple two-unit plan, built c1700, a bread oven was built against the east gable between 1850 and 1864. Although the house served as the village bakery, the size of the oven appeared to have been over-sized for its purpose. At the same time the original house was significantly altered and a range of outbuildings constructed to the rear.

{1} House. Late C17, raised late C18/early C19. Squared coursed limestone with Collyweston slate roof. Originally 2-unit plan. 2 storeys. 2-window range of C19 casements under wood lintels. Central C19 plank door, also under wood lintel. Slit fire window to far left. Ashlar stack to left-hand end and brick stack to right. Right gable abutting road has two 2-light, ovolo-moulded, stone mullion windows, now blocked. Also evidence of C17 roof pitch in right gable. Rear elevation, to garden, is a similar 2-window range of C19 casements. Single-storey outbuilding attached to left of main front. Interior not inspected but said to have remains of open fireplace and bread oven.

{3} The first phase of the cottage, built c1700, seems to have been a simple rectangular building with two rooms on the ground floor. The second phase saw the building of an unusually large bread oven against the east gable,
apparently to serve as the village bakery. This addition can be dated from map evidence between 1850 and 1864. Documentary evidence indicates that the oven was built during the early 1850’s and it seems most likely that it was at the same date that the first floor of the cottage was raised to create additional bedroom space. At the same time it appears that the cross-passage door arrangement was altered and the central door inserted in the north elevation; the door in the east end had been made redundant by the addition of the bread oven there. Also at this time it appears that the two stone mullioned windows in the west gable were blocked, the chimney breast inserted and the present casement windows added.

{4} Originally of a simple two-unit plan, a bread oven was built against the east gable between 1850 and 1864.
Although the house served as the village bakery, the size of the oven appeared to have been over-sized for its purpose. At the same time the original house was significantly altered and a range of outbuildings
constructed to the rear.

{5} Undated photo;

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 3+14/12 (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<2> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), G09 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN41470.

<3> Prentice, J & Soden, I, 2015, A Heritage Asset Survey of the former village bakery at 38 Causin Way, Lower Benefield, Northamptonshire (Report). SNN111341.

<4> Horne, B (editor), 2016, South Midlands Archaeology (46), p. 36 (Journal). SNN111326.

<5> Photographs of buildings in Benefield (Photographs). SNN111913.

Record last edited

Mar 18 2020 12:40PM