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Summary

House, formerly known as Bowhay Cottage, now divided into two properties. Described as an attractive example of an evolved house. The earliest part of the building is the right hand thatched block which was originally a medieval open hall house dating to the early 16th century.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1097843: LITTLE BOWHAY, SHOWN ON ORDNANCE SURVEY MAP AS BOWHAY COTTAGE

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX88NE/89
• Old Listed Building Ref (II)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• FARMHOUSE (Built, XVI to XVIII - 1501 AD to 1800 AD (Between))

Full description

Ordnance Survey, 1880-1899, First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map (Cartographic). SDV336179.

Marked as Bowhay Cottage.

Department of Environment, 1987, Shillingford St George, 69 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV361859.

Little Bowhay, shown on Ordnance Survey map as Bowhay Cottage. House, in 2 occupations. Circa early C16 origins, remodelled in the circa late C17, some rebuilding and re-roofing of the C18, some C19 refurbishment. Colourwashed rendered cob; the right hand end has a thatched roof, hipped at the right end, gabled at the left, the left hand end has a corrugated asbestos roof (formerly thatched) and lower roofline; left end stack, axial stack, front right corner stack, all with brick shafts.
The earliest dateable part of the present building is the right hand thatched block which was a 4-bay medieval open hall house, probably of 2 rooms divided by low screens, the lower end to the right. There may have been an inner room (the right hand room of the left hand block) but this appears to have been rebuilt in the C18. Several features suggest that the hall was floored over comparatively late, probably in the late C17. The hall stack was inserted, backing on to the passage, which is unusual in having a winder stair at the rear. The eaves were raised, probably in the C18, possibly co-evally with the rebuilding of the inner room, which was used as a service room, and the adjoining byre. The lower end room was probably not heated at this date and may have been used for storage. A partition wall at the rear of the hall provides a very narrow service room at the rear with access from the passage, it is not clear whether this arrangement is part of the C18 alterations or later. In the circa mid C19 the lower end room was refurbished as a parlour with a front right corner stack. Single-storey C20 lean-to at rear in centre. The left hand block, now in separate occupation, consists of 1 heated room at the right and an unheated left hand room. The adjoining byre at the left is now single-storey but was formerly lofted.
2 storey house. Asymmetrical 2 + 3 window front, the thatched block has steps up to a front door to right of centre, leading into the passage, and 2-light small pane casement windows. Several buttresses on front. The left hand block has a front door on the front at the right and small pane casements. The rear elevation has an attic dormer with a 2-light small pane casement. Interior: the thatched block is very unaltered since the C19. The hall stack has a C20 grate, probably concealing earlier features; a boxed-in axial beam is exposed and chamfered adjacent to the stack. The parlour has a mid C19 chimney-piece and co-eval round-headed recess on the rear wall.3 smoke-blackened jointed crucks survive in the thatched block, below a later roof. The ridge of the medieval roof is incomplete but some thatch, battens and rafters remain intact from the open hall phase. The left hand block has large rough-hewn axial beams, the principal rafters are boxed in but appear to be straight. The byre has 2 types of roof truss, 1 is halved and pegged, the other has the collar mortised into the principals which are mortised at the apex. The pitched stone floor retains a central drain. An attractive example of an evolved house, part of which has very little C20 alteration.

Ordnance Survey, 2018, MasterMap 2018 (Cartographic). SDV360652.

Little Bowhay shown as two properties.

Historic England, 2018, National Heritage List for England, 1097843 (National Heritage List for England). SDV360653.

Little Bowhay (Formerly listed as: Little Bowhay, shown on Ordnance Survey map as Bowhay Cottage).
House, in two occupations. Circa early C16 origins, remodelled in the circa late C17, some rebuilding and re-roofing of the C18, some C19 refurbishment. Colourwashed rendered cob; the right hand end has a thatched roof, hipped at the right end, gabled at the left, the left hand end has a corrugated asbestos roof (formerly thatched) and lower roofline; left end stack, axial stack, front right corner stack, all with brick shafts. The earliest dateable part of the present building is the right hand thatched block which was a 4-bay medieval open hall house, probably of two rooms divided by low screens, the lower end to the right. There may have been an inner room (the right hand room of the left hand block) but this appears to have been rebuilt in the C18. Several features suggest that the hall was floored over comparatively late, probably in the late C17. The hall stack was inserted, backing on to the passage, which is unusual in having a winder stair at the rear. The eaves were raised, probably in the C18, possibly co-evally with the rebuilding of the inner room, which was used as a service room, and the adjoining byre. The lower end room was probably not heated at this date and may have been used for storage. A partition wall at the rear of the hall provides a very narrow service room at the rear with access from the passage, it is not clear whether this arrangement is part of the C18 alterations or later. In the circa mid C19 the lower end room was refurbished as a parlour with a front right corner stack. Single-storey C20 lean-to at rear in centre. The left-hand block, now in separate occupation, consists of one heated room at the right and an unheated left-hand room. The adjoining byre at the left is now single-storey but was formerly lofted. Two-storey house. Asymmetrical 2 + 3 window front, the thatched block has steps up to a front door to right of centre, leading into the passage, and 2-light small pane casement windows. Several buttresses on front. The left hand block has a front door on the front at the right and small pane casements. The rear elevation has an attic dormer with a 2-light small pane casement.
INTERIOR: The thatched block is very unaltered since the C19. The hall stack has a C20 grate, probably concealing earlier features; a boxed-in axial beam is exposed and chamfered adjacent to the stack. The parlour has a mid C19 chimney-piece and co-eval round-headed recess on the rear wall. Three smoke-blackened jointed crucks survive in the thatched block, below a later roof. The ridge of the medieval roof is incomplete but some thatch, battens and rafters remain intact from the open hall phase. The left hand block has large rough-hewn axial beams, the principal rafters are boxed in but appear to be straight. The byre has two types of roof truss, one is halved and pegged, the other has the collar mortised into the principals which are mortised at the apex. The pitched stone floor retains a central drain.
An attractive example of an evolved house, part of which has very little C20 alteration.
Date first listed: 12th February 1987
Subject to a minor amendment: 6th November 2018

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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