Building record 840/0/1 - Ox Hovel, Upper Park

A u-shaped building with semi-enclosed yard. Built in the 18th century, prior to 1758, and associated with Dovecote Farm. Subsequently rebuilt and reroofed in both the 19th and 20th centuries.

{1} Agricultural building. Horeshoe shaped stone and brick building with corrugated iron roof. Appears on map and sale plan catalogue of 1720. Animal shelter. Photos

{2} Ox hovel near Heyford Mill. The building is thought to be several hundred years old. In the catalogue for the sale of the estate of the Duke of Powis (Powys?) in 1758 it was said "to be a large well built ox house in Field 36 for Winter feeding". It was shown on the plan with a detailed drawing showing dimensions 66ft x 52ft and internal lines of support pillars. Field 36 was Upper Park, described as good and rich ox feeding ground. It is an unusally large example. The roof is now iron, the walls (a mixture of ironstone and brick) are still in good condition.

{3} Ox Hovel at Upper Heyford, probably built in the C18th. Subsequently rebuilt and reroofed in both the C19th and C20th. The building is U-shaped in plan and is built of coursed rubble, with some brick, the roofs are of corrugated iron.

{4} An information board installed by the River Nene Regional Park suggests that the building incorporates re-used stone from a former Manor House that stood in the vicinity. Investigation of the building's fabric and historic background supports this notion. Built prior to 1758, the building continued to be used throughout the 19th and 20th centuries and remained in use as a cowshelter until the 1970s at which time it became derelict.
The ox house is single-storey and stone-built,and comprises a U or horse-shoe plan with a semi-enclosed yard formed between the open-fronted ranges.It measures c16m in width and 20.5m in length,and the main ranges are each approximately 4.2 x 14.5m.Access to the building is from the south where the central yard opens out between the ranges.As well as the rounded northern range,the outer corners of the linear ranges are curved, a practical design which prevents injury to cattle.To compensate for the curved corners, the gable end is projected outward on timber plates,keeping the roof edges straight.

<1> Cadman, G., 1997, SMR Report Form, (checked) (SMR Report Form). SNN49729.

<2> Smith J., 1999, Correspondence re. Heyford Ox Hovel, (checked) (Letter). SNN44987.

<3> NATIONAL MONUMENTS RECORD, 2012, NMR Monument Report, UID 1118648 (part checked) (Database). SNN108196.

<4> Bassir A., 2017, Upper Heyford, Ox House: Historic Building Analysis and Recording (Report). SNN111244.

<5> Bassir A., 2018, Northamptonshire: Ox house in Upper Heyford (Article). SNN112096.

<6> 1758, Sales catalogue of estates of William Herbert, Duke of Powis (Document). SNN112097.

<7> Historic England, Undated, OX HOVEL, UPPER HEYFORD, BF096938 (Archive). SNN113114.

Record last edited

Mar 15 2022 11:26AM