Building record 1223/5/1 - The Old Vicarage, Church End

House, formerly vicarage. Late C17 extended C18 with C19 and C20 alterations. Coursed limestone rubble, thatch roof, brick end and ridge stacks.

{1} House, formerly vicarage. Late C17 extended C18 with C19 and C20 alterations. Coursed limestone rubble, thatch roof, brick end and ridge stacks. 2 storeys and attic. 4-window range. 2-unit plan with one-unit addition. 4-panelled part-glazed door to left of centre with overlight and gabled hood on brackets, supported by posts. 4-light casement windows to ground floor with wood lintels, 12-pane sash windows to 1st floor with wood lintels, except for that above door with flat-arched head. End bay is an addition, probably C18. 2-storey wing to rear left. Interior has ogee-stop-chamfered spine beams. One open fireplace with chamfered bressumer, another open fireplace to original kitchen with cambered chamfered bressumer. 3-bay roof to original core has ties and collars to principal rafters, 2 tiers of purlins and ridge piece.

{3} Analysis, plan & photographs. Used as a vicarage until 1865, this house has its origins in the latter half of the 17th century. The earliest phase is a three-bay, two-storey stone and thatched house with attics and associated two-bay barn. A link bay was added between the barn and house in the early 18th century (from documentary evidence between 1727 {4} and 1744 {5}) resulting in the present L-shaped plan. In 1849 there is a record of 'enlargements and improvements to the residence house', which involved introducing bay windows into the two front downstairs living rooms, replacing the upstair windows with sash windows and adding the range of two-storey rooms to the rear.
In 1865, the Duke of Grafton exchanged this hous together with four acres of glebe land for the new Vicarage (now known as 27 Church End) and 3 and half acres of paddock belonging to it. The bay windows were taken out of the old and placed in the new vicarage. The last major alterations were in 1869, when another two-storey accomodation bay was added to the east of the main house, and later in the century when the rear range was extended.

{6} Sketch of house dated 22 August 1844.

{7} Undated photo, also photo dated May 1977, and one dated 29.10.1993;

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 15/94 (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<2> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), F11 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN45262.

<3> Conlon R., 2005, The Whittlewood Project: Historic Buildings Survey, Potterspury with Furtho (Report). SNN105034.

<4> Collier; Adams, c1727, Map of Potterspury (Map). SNN20527.

<5> 1776, Potterspury Enclosure Map (Map). SNN19374.

<6> CLARKE G., 1850 (circa), George Clarke Collection (Drawing). SNN71845.

<7> Photographs of buildings in Potterspury (Photographs). SNN112957.

<8> Woodfield, P, 2003, The Whittlewood Project: Phase 1 rapid survey of all buildings within the 12 parishes of the survey, identifying buildings that have, or are likely to have, fabric dating from before 1700 (Report). SNN116636.

Record last edited

Oct 23 2024 4:22PM