Building record 821/0/37 - Former Barn, Chapel Farm, Ashton

A single-storey agricultural building, now used for residential purposes. It was constructed in the early 19th century as an ancillary agricultural building to Chapel Farm. It has a simple rectilinear plan-form and is constructed in coursed rubble masonry. The pitched roof is covered in clay pantiles. The building has late 20th century fenestration and a small porch has been added to the east elevation. None of the historic fixtures and fittings remain.

{1} The Ashton Estate, stretching from the River Nene near Oundle in the west to Ashton Wold in the east, has been occupied since Roman times. In the 18th century it was a well-known sporting estate, with avenues of chestnut trees planted in a cross as rides, and a number of fox coverts. In the early 19th century the estate was owned by William Walcot and was largely farmed by tenants, with Ashton Wold continuing as a sporting ground. However, there is no evidence that it had ever contained a manor house, and when in 1860 it was purchased by Lionel Rothschild the sale particulars describe it as 'a very valuable and important landed estate', with sporting advantages, but no house adapted for the occupation of a gentleman. Both Lionel Rothschild and his son Nathaniel Mayer, 1st Lord Rothschild (1840-1915), showed little interest in the estate, and the only structural work undertaken in the 19th century was the building of a hunting lodge at Ashton Wold. However, when Lord Rothschild's second son, Nathaniel Charles (1877-1923) - known as Charles - discovered Ashton by accident whilst on a butterfly-collecting expedition with the vicar of Polebrook, he was so impressed by the rich fauna and flora of Ashton Wold that he persuaded his father to build him a house on the site of the hunting lodge. Lord Rothschild commissioned William Huckvale to design not only a house, but a model farm, an entire complement of estate buildings which included the Steward's house, stables, gardeners' accommodation, a building to house a fire engine, a petrol store, kennels (now derelict) and a dog hospital. Most of the cottages at nearby Ashton were rebuilt to create a model village.

High quality design and workmanship were consistent themes throughout the estate, where traditional vernacular building traditions - Collyweston stone slate and thatch roof coverings, steeply pitched roofs, tall chimneys, limestone masonry walling and dressings and mullioned windows - were all faithfully referenced. Simple working buildings - cart hovels, wash houses and potting sheds - were consciously afforded the same care as were the dwellings, farmsteads and garden structures.

The earliest indication of there being a building on this site is shown on the Enclosure Map of 1810, which shows a building with a very similar footprint to that of the existing cottage. It was originally built as an ancillary agricultural building to Chapel Farm, and appears again on a later map of 1858 that accompanies the sales particulars for the farm complex. The building has since undergone alterations and has been converted to a dwelling.

Little is known about William Huckvale (1847-1936) who worked mainly for the Rothschilds and therefore had no need to publicise his work in the architectural journals, and was not a member of the RIBA. After setting up his own practice in London he came into contact with Alexander Parks, agent to Lord Rothschild. He designed a number of buildings for the Rothschilds on the Tring Park estate, undertook considerable work at the Rothschild bank in New Court in the City of London, and was the architect for the Royal Mint Refinery. He also carried out work on the Rothschild estate at Aston Clinton. The quality of his work is reflected in the 42 listed buildings he already has to his name, 13 in Tring and 29 on the Ashton Estate.

The building is a single-storey agricultural building, now used for residential purposes. It has a simple rectilinear plan-form and is constructed in coursed rubble masonry. The pitched roof is covered in clay pantiles.

The exterior treatment of the building is plain and featureless and is fenestrated with late 20th century side-hung timber-framed windows with small panes. A small weatherboarded porch with pitched roof has been added to the east elevation.

None of the historic fixtures and fittings remain as the building has been substantially refurbished and fitted out to meet modern living requirements.
Beehive Cottage is not recommended for designation for the following principal reasons. It is a converted barn which does not share the quality of design and craftsmanship of other buildings that form part of the Ashton Estate. Its original form has been significantly altered with consequent loss of plan form and external fabric, such that its original form and function are no longer evident.

[HER note: the house is known as Beehive Cottage in the listing file, but is longer known as this. Current name unknown].

<1> ENGISH HERITAGE, English Heritage Listing File, Heritage Protection Adsiver, 26th October 2009 (Report). SNN111579.

Record last edited

Feb 17 2025 6:57PM