Building record 1653/2/1 - No.8 Church Street (Glebe Farmhouse)

Manor house or lay clergyhouse. C.1260-1320, probably mid C16 and C17 with C18 alterations and additions. Squared coursed limestone with C20 plain tile roof. Originally open hall with cross passage then 4 units.

{1} Manor house or lay clergyhouse. C.1260-1320, probably mid C16 and C17 with C18 alterations and additions. Squared coursed limestone with C20 plain tile roof. Originally open hall with cross passage then 4 units. 2 storeys. Elevation to churchyard of 6-window range of leaded casements under wood lintels, some with crown glass. Centre 2 bays are earliest origin with 2-centred arch head door opening to left with chamfer, roll moulding and hood mould. Studded plank door. 3 single-stage buttresses be ween centre bays. Ashlar gable parapets to left of centre bays and to end of right hand range. 3 ridge and eaves levels. Brick and stone stack to left of centre and ashlar stack with moulded cornice to right gable end. Brick stack to left end. Rear elevation is similar, with a studded plank door to right of centre, under a wood lintel. Leaded casements also under wood lintels. Jamb of medieval window to left of centre range. Interior: cross passage has winder stair to left against stack. Clos t to far left of passage has C16 plank and muntin screen. Hall, now drawing room, has large C16 open fireplace with bressumer, C16 moulded ceiling beams and C17 panelled door. End wall opposite cross passage has 2 large arches with subsidiary trefoil arches with a fine central corbel with fleur-de-lys. The upper part of the arcade is now in the first floor rooms. Straight flight of stairs rise between Hall and room to far left. Kitchen to far right has remains of open fireplace with bressumer. First floor room has fine C17 fireplace with 4-centred head and early C19 cast iron firebasket. Plank doors, some with strap hinges. Game larder over cellar stair. Evidence of raised cruck in first floor room. If a manor house, possibly that held by Trayle family; although local tradition maintains there was a college of secular priests at Woodford. Centre range is late C13 hall with stack inserted against screens passage in C16, also hall subdivided at this date. Range to right is probably C16 and C17 on site of service rooms and range to left is C17/C18.

{3} Documentary references. In the reign of Henry III (1216-1272) the manor at Woodford was held by William Trayle. It then passed to Geoffrey de Traylley, who left it to his son in 1333. By 1419 Sir John Holt died seized of `Tralyes Place'. This may be the site of Glebe Farm, but not certain. The medieval structure comprises only the hall with a cross passage. The details and mouldings have been dated to within the period 1260-1320 and probably to c.1275. The trefoiled arches unique to Northamptonshire also appear at Stamford where they date to the C12th.
It is suggested that the house was built as a hall rather than a lay clergy dwelling as some have assumed.

{4} Standing building; a medieval hall with cross-passage. Details and mouldings dated to 1260-1320 AD and probably 1275. Trefoiled arches are unique to the county but similar at Stamford date to the C12th. Is certainly a hall rather than a lay clergy dwelling, but not sure whether originally a manor house.

{5} Undated photo, also four photos dated 18.08.1994.

{6} [Former list description] Part C.14, part C.17-18, two storeys, stone with stone coped gable ends, tile roof. The house consists of a central part taller than the remainder, which is in the main hall of a mediaeval Rectory house originally one storey.
The south wall of this block has angle and central buttresses, a Decorated doorway to L.H. with moulded stone archway, and a C.16 leaded 6-light mullioned and transomed window to R.H. A stone chimney projects from ridge to west of centre. Internally on ground floor there is a passage through the house opposite the Decorated doorway to a corresponding entrance on the north side which is covered with creepers external. The remainder of the block is one large room with a pair of large arches, the centre springer in form of a tapered bracket with moulded cap, the arches continued to floor by piers at corners built into east wall. The west side of the room has a large open
fireplace with wood lintel, probably inserted in C.16, and the room has been divided in C.16 by a floor for upper part resting on moulded beams forming a cross pattern. A small area of vertical board and fillet panelling inside the
south doorway lines a lobby to the door to this room from the passage. The tops of the arches are cut off by the C.16 floor and re-appear in the upper room.
To the west of the central block is a lower section with irregular C.17 wood casements with leaded lights and C.18 internal cupboard and doors forming the service section which may be within mediaeval walls. Early C.19 half glazed external door in R.H. corner on ground floor. Section to east of main block slightly set back with similar
leaded casement windows. North front of main block has two upper casement windows and one roughly in centre on ground floor, all covered by creepers, doorway to passage in R.H. corner. Further interior?.

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 13/155 (Digital archive). SNN102353.

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

<3> Woodfield P., 1981, The Larger Medieval Houses of Northamptonshire, p.153-96 (unchecked) (Article). SNN23550.

<4> 1993, RCHME Report Form, (checked) (Recording Form (Not SMR)). SNN48119.

<5> Photographs of buildings in Woodford (Photographs). SNN114290.

<6> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, DOE(HHR) Dist of Oundle & Thrapston R.D. Northants. April 1963 148 (Report). SNN112993.

Record last edited

Aug 25 2023 9:59AM