Building record 6169/1/1 - Woodford House & Attached Cottages & Outbuildings

Country house. Probably mid C18th, remodelled and extended 1813 (datestone) for Charles Arbuthnot M.P., extended c.1900 for Plevens family.

{1} Country house. Probably mid C18th, remodelled and extended 1813 (datestone) for Charles Arbuthnot M.P., extended c.1900 for Plevens family. Squared coursed lias and limestone ashlar, with slate roof. Double-depth plan. 2 storeys with attic. Entrance front centre range of 4 windows. Central late C19th columned porch with glazed door. Late C19th sash windows in earlier openings with gauged stone heads. Raised string course between floors. Shallow hipped roof with roof dormers on returns. Wooden dentille cornice and brick stacks at ridge. Datestone below eaves. 3-window range to right, set back from main front, was probably added early C19th. French windows at ground floor and plain sash windows at first floor, all under gauged stone heads. Dentilled cornice and hipped roof. First floor windows to centre range and range to right have wooden shutters. Irregular 5-window range set back to left of centre in similar style, with staircase windows between floors to right. The first floor of this range is a different build to the ground floor. Similar range is attached at right angles to left, with a 3-storey tower with pyramid roof to right, and single-storey range terminating with a pyramid roof. Oculus in tower with 4 keyblocks has C20th clockface. Rear elevation or garden front is a similar 5-window range of sash windows with tall openings to ground floor. String course between floors. Late C19th polygonal conservatory to centre is formed with ashlar piers between sash window openings. C.1900 billiards room attached to right has polygonal end in similar style. Former stables attached to left of entrance front now form two cottages and outbuildings. Interior: entrance hall has C18th style staircase with turned balusters, which probably dates from c.1900 remodelling. Similar secondary staircase to left. Duke's drawing room to far right of entrance has moulded plaster ceiling. Other rooms have moulded cornices. The Duke of Wellington was a frequent guest of the Arbuthnots and the 3-bay extension to the north of the main front was his accomodation, including a drawing room and study. The Duke of Wellington likened the surrounding countryside to that of Waterloo and the Round House, Thrapston Road, (q.v.) commemorates the battle. Drawings at Northamptonshire Records Office show alterations proposed by W. Martyn Meer of 1899 and landscape proposals by W. Innes Stuckey of 1909, only partially carried out.

{5} Samples of ore supplied by General Charles George Arbuthnot from his estate adjoining Woodford House were shown at the Great Exhibition of 1851, and were responsible for the start of the Northamptonshire iorn ore industry. The Arbuthnot family appear to have fallen on hard times from 1881.Woodford House had already been put up for auction in 1880, and among the effects were 'railway and tramways with sidings at Twywell station'.
On 5th April 1882 Woodford House (by then unoccupied) and the estates were again put up for sale. Woodford House was purchased in Spril 1883 by C.H.Plevins, proprietor of the nearby Islip Ironworks, who had lived in Woodford since about 1871.

{6} Undated photo;

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 1/162 (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<2> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), G07 p.87 (checked) (Catalogue). SNN41470.

<3> Pevsner N.; Cherry B., 1973, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.467 (unchecked) (Series). SNN1320.

<4> HYLTON T.; MASTERS P., 1998, Empingham to Hannington Anglian Water Pipeline, Northamptonshire Section, Archaeological Evaluation: Stage 1, (unchecked) (Report). SNN63049.

<5> Tonks E., 1991, The Ironstone Quarries of The Midlands (History, Operation and Railways): The Kettering Area, p.78-85 (unchecked) (Book). SNN44039.

<6> Photographs of buildings in Woodford (Photographs). SNN114290.

Record last edited

Nov 9 2022 11:28AM