Building record 5993/0/13 - Wildflower Barn, Ashton Wold Estate

Wildflower Barn was designed as a simple field barn. Is is a long, rectangular single storey building. Its weatherboarded timber frame stands on a coursed rock-faced limestone plinth, rebuilt in brick to the south. It has a thatched, hipped roof. The central section is of the west elevation largely glazed. The north elevation contains a window and the other two elevations are blank. Little of the original fabric is now visible. The barn has been converted to residential use. (Also known as Lutton Hovels)

{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. In 1900 Lord Rothschild commissioned William Huckvale to design not only a house, but a model farm and 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 estate buildings also included field barns, of which Wildflower Barn (formerly Lutton Hovels) is an example. It was built in the early 20th century in the north-west corner of a field to the south-east of the East Lodge to Ashton Wold, slightly set back from the road, and would presumably have provided shelter for cattle, carts or both. The 1926 OS map shows the building divided into three equal parts, two with yards to the west. It was recently converted into a dwelling, with a raised verandah to the west, and new weatherboarding throughout.

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.

Charles Rothschild was a banker, a renowned naturalist and a pioneer conservationist who became the leading expert on fleas in the country. He died in 1923. His daughter Miriam, who inherited the estate on her mother's death in 1940, continued both his work on fleas and his interest in conservation. The re-naming of Wildflower Barn on its conversion is particularly appropriate, as her advocacy of wildflowers was highly influential in the gardening world. She also became an international expert on fleas in her own right, a fellow of the Royal Society, was awarded eight honorary degrees and appointed DBE for her services to the study of natural history.

The Wildflower Barn is a long, rectangular single storey building. Its weatherboarded timber frame stands on a coursed rock-faced limestone plinth, rebuilt in brick to the south. Its hipped roof is thatched with deeply oversailing eaves. The central section, about a third of the west elevation, is largely glazed; the southern third contains three full height windows or glazed doors, while the third to the north contains double sliding glazed doors and a plain glazed window, but is otherwise enclosed. Seven evenly spaced cast iron columns flanked by two wooden posts support the roof immediately in front of the glazing and weatherboarding. The north elevation contains a window, and the other two elevations are blank..

The Wildflower Barn has been altered and does not meet the criteria for listing

<1> ENGISH HERITAGE, English Heritage Listing File, Heritage Protection Adviser, 14th October 2009 (Report). SNN111579.

Record last edited

Feb 17 2025 6:57PM