Building record 8099/1/13 - Fire Engine Building, Ashton Wold Estate

The Fire Engine Building is a simple timber framed rectangular structure which is weatherboarded and stands on a brick plinth. There are double doors to eaves height to both east and west gable ends. The timber frame and roof trusses survive intact. It is located to the north of the Ashton Wold Estate water tower and was built as part of Nathaniel Charles Rothschild's model estate. The building appears to have been restored during the early 21st century.

{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, the renowned naturalist Nathaniel Charles (1877-1923) - known as Charles - discovered Ashton by accident, 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, 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 Fire Engine Building is located immediately to the north of the water tower. Its appearance suggests it has been recently restored; the plinth is constructed in modern brick, the base to both east and west gable ends supporting the central timber post is concrete rather than stone, and there are extensive areas of new weatherboarding.

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 Fire Engine Building is a simple rectangular structure; the timber frame of which is weatherboarded and stands on a brick plinth. Its posts are supported individually on stone plinths, with the exception of those supporting the central gable end posts, which are concrete. There are double doors to eaves height occupying less than half the width of the building to both east and west gable ends.

The timber frame and roof trusses survive intact. The roof is of truncated principal rafter construction, with purlins supported on brackets attached to the principal rafters. The roofs are braced with straight timbers that join the purlin at the principal rafter, forming a cross.

The Fire Engine Building is a timber framed structure that has been constructed with the same care and attention to craftsmanship seen in all the other buildings on the Ashton Estate. However, its function is not evident in its appearance, which shares more in common with some other estate buildings than with late 19th and early 20th century Fire Engine houses. There is little to distinguish this building from a simple agricultural structure and this building has lost significant fabric namely its original plinth, as well as some weatherboarding. It is not considered to of enough special interest in a national context to be recommended for listing.

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

Record last edited

Feb 17 2025 6:49PM