Building record 600/5/1 - Canons Ashby House

Country house first constructed on a H-shaped plan by John Dryden who acquired the former monastic estate on the death of Sir John Cope in 1558. The house, which is thought to incorporate part of an earlier farmhouse, overlies the buried remains of part of the Medieval settlement of Canons Ashby. Canons Ashby House is listed Grade I, although it is within the scheduled area of the medieval settlement (see separate record) the house is excluded. The ground beneath the house is scheduled

{1} "Canons Ashby House"; a view of the south-west side of house, with some detail of the north-west side also included.

{2} The mansion house of the Drydens sits in a small deer park, it is an irregular building of different periods. The oldest part is early C16th. The village of six houses includes Sir John Dryden's. Within the house of Sir John Dryden, one room 30' long x 20' wide is reported to be entirely floored and wainscotted by the timber of a single oak tree which grew in the lordship.

{4} Country house. Mid C16 with earlier origins, extended c.1590, embellished c.1632, south front remodelled and other alterations made 1708-10. Coursed ironstone rubble, ironstone ashlar, brick, limestone dressings, tile roofs, stacks mostly brick, some stone. H-plan, extended to courtyard plan. 5-window west range to Green Court, entrance front until c.1840, of brick rendered, has early C18 central 8-panel double-leaf door in moulded stone frame with console keyblock flanked by plain Doric pilasters, supporting plain frieze, inflected cornice and broken pediment framing lead cartouche; original blocked C16 service door to left with 4-centred arch head and carved spandrels. To right and left, 3-light leaded mullion and transom windows; 3-light mullion windows to first floor. Gabled ends break forward and have 2 12-pane sashes to ground floor with moulded stone sills and plain surrounds with keyblocks, blocked to left end, 4-light mullion and transom windows with hood moulds to first floor, 3-light mullion windows in gables; mullions arched to right wing. Moulded plinth, quoins to angles. First floor string, fine lead rainwater heads and pipes flanking central bay. 2 brick lateral stacks left of centre, and central timber cupola with clock rebuilt 1981 to original early C18 design. 9-window south range to garden has rendered brick, 4-storey, tower left of centre with 8-panel door, approached by flight of 5 steps with shaped angles, with moulded stone surround, console keyblock, and broken segmental pediment. To right a 5-light mullion window. 3-light arch-mullion windows to first and second floors, all with hood moulds and similar window to fourth floor. Tower has a round stair turret with ogee lead roof and weather vane to rear left angle beside brick stack. Rest of range of 2 storeys, ashlar faced, 3 bays to left of tower, 5 to right, with 24-pane sashes, surrounds as above. 2-light mullion windows to basement, moulded plinth and storey band. Right gable end has 2-light mullion window with hood mould to gable and evidence of blocked and dismantled first floor oriel; long timber lintel with blocked opening below. Irregular 6-window brick north range has 2 and 3 storeys and mezzanine. 2-storey canted bays either end with mullion and transom windows except to upper window of left bay - mullioned only, tall 2-light mullion and transom windows to right of centre lighting kitchen, two 24-pane sashes to left with stone surrounds as above. 2-and 3 light mullion windows to ground, mezzanine and third floors and 2-light arch-mullion recess to left of right end bay, just above moulded plinth. Stepped string broken by mezzanine window. Brick and stone ridge stacks. Left gable end has second floor oriel, originally matching blocked oriel already mentioned, with mullion and transom window, and 1-light side pieces, a 3-light mullion window below and to ground floor (2 blocked first floor sash windows). East entrance front of 2 storeys is lower than the other ranges and has irregular fenestration. Chamfered carriage arch to right of arch. Various wood mullion and mullion and transom windows and a 2-storey double-hipped projection to left with small brick arched basement doorway. No plinth to left of arch. Rubble masonry and irregular fenestration to Pebble Court. 4-centred arched door to hall to right of centre is approached by flight of 7 steps. Re-used medieval stonework to this side of north range. Plain stone caped parapets except to east range. Interior: spectacular Jacobean plasterwork and overmantel in Drawing Room, former 'Great Chamber'. C16 painted decoration in studio and Spencer Room, early C18 Painted Parlour. Evidence of open roof to hall in rooms to side of Brown Gallery and possible Long Gallery in top storey of north range. Seat of the Drydens since mid C16; given to National Trust in 1981; (National Trust Guide: 1984; Buildings of England; Northants, p.134-6)

{8} After Dissolution a house which has now gone was made by Sir John Cope out of the buildings of the priory. Another house was built in the mid C16th, possibly on the site of the guest house of the priory, by the Dryden family, who married into the Cope family in 1551. This is the house that survives in its essential and most interesting parts.

{11} Level 4 building recording survey of the house incorporating photographic survey and drawn record, recording of ritual markings, graffiti and masons' marks, the south-west and north-west facades surveyed using photogrammetry techniques, aerial survey and 3D laser survey of the exterior and interior.

{13} Undated photo;

{15} Two drawings and a painting of the house, drawing of scutcheon in Sir Robert's room, two photos of weathervane;

{16} Fragments of a deed found in the binding of a book in 16th century, plus transcript and translation;

{17} Oxfordshire Archaeological Society report for 1892;

{18} Photo of stuffed redshank, description of house, photos of board figure of soldier;

{20} The big house has gradually evolved into its present courtyard form. Part of the exterior is 15th century and the cellars are supposedly earlier, whilst the hall in the NW range may be medieval.The mound at SP 57505091 seems undoubtedly to be a motte, no doubt a precursor of the early hall (see SP 55 SE/14).

{21} 18th century alteration by Edward Dryden, who also laid out the garden (SP 55 SE/16) in 1708 to 1710.

{22} Formerly recorded under SP 55 SE/1.

{25} [Former list description] Canons Ashby, 16th century partly altered in the 18th century. Grade I (39/3)

{27} Plans, details of staircase, etchings, drawing of lead water pipes, seven photos;

{28} Seven photos dated 1967;

<1> CLARKE G., 1850, Pencil Sketches Vol.19, No.4 (checked) (Drawing). SNN46342.

<2> GOTCH J.A., 1940, Manor Houses of Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Book). SNN58776.

<3> Heward J.; Taylor R., 1996, The Country Houses of Northamptonshire, p.114 (part checked) (Book). SNN41757.

<4> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 19/29 (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<5> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), F05 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN44900.

<6> Pearson L., 2003, Gazeteer of British Tile and Architectural Ceramic Sites: County Draft, Northamptonshire, p.3 (unchecked) (Gazetteer). SNN103233.

<7> Jenkins S., 2003, England's Thousand Best Houses, p.539-40 (unchecked) (Extract). SNN104722.

<8> Pevsner N.; Cherry B., 1973, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.134-6 (unchecked) (Series). SNN1320.

<9> Giggins B., 1991, Canons Ashby Survey, (unchecked) (Report). SNN108748.

<10> Tiles and Architectural Ceramics Society, 2011, TACS (Tiles and Architectural Ceramics Society) Location Database, (unchecked) (Gazetteer). SNN107648.

<11> Bassir A., 2018, Historic Building Recording at Canons Ashby House, Northamptonshire, October-December 2017 (Report). SNN111249.

<12> Crank, N. (Editor), 2019, South Midlands Archaeology (49), p. 75 (Journal). SNN111755.

<13> Photographs of buildings in Canons Ashby (Photographs). SNN111842.

<14> Unknown, 1980-1999?, Canons Ashby (Photographic prints (B&W)). SNN115734.

<15> Dryden H.E.L., 1842-1895, Dryden Collection, DR/25/46, 47, 50a, 50b, 60a, 60b (Archive). SNN115.

<16> Dryden H.E.L., 1842-1895, Dryden Collection, DR/25/54/63,65 (Archive). SNN115.

<17> Dryden H.E.L., 1842-1895, Dryden Collection, DR/25/54/69 (Archive). SNN115.

<18> Dryden H.E.L., 1842-1895, Dryden Collection, DR/25/54/62, 67, 70, 71 (Archive). SNN115.

<19> Bailey, B, Pevsner, N, and Cherry, B, 2013, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p. 153-8 (Book). SNN111989.

<20> Unknown, 1960s-1970s, Field investigators comments, F1 01-MAY-1970 (Notes). SNN110368.

<21> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1981, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, Page 37 (Series). SNN77381.

<22> LEE, E S., 1991, RCHME Recorder (Note). SNN114837.

<23> Scheduled Monument Notification, English Heritage Schedule Entry 21/02/1997 (Note). SNN113001.

<24> JACKSON-STOPS G., 1984, Canons Ashby (Northamptonshire), National Trust Guide to Canons Ashby House, 1984 (Guide). SNN70500.

<25> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, P. 27, Daventry. 24 February 1987 (Report). SNN112993.

<26> Historic England, Canons Ashby House, Canons Ashby, BF061852 (Archive). SNN116327.

<27> Dryden H.E.L., 1842-1895, Dryden Collection, DR/25/54/48,49,51-58 (Archive). SNN115.

<28> Miss June Swann, 1960s- 70s, Miss June Swann Photographic Archive (Photographs). SNN116665.

Record last edited

Jan 8 2025 11:58AM