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Summary

Grade I listed early 17th century house (linked with Inigo Jones) with late 19th century additions

Associated Legal Designations or Protected Status

• Listed Building (I) 1290600: WEST WOODHAY HOUSE

Other Statuses and Cross-References

• Berkshire SMR No. (pre 2000): 01892.04.000
  
• National Monuments Record No.: SU 36 SE 7
  SU 38502 63252
• Old Listed Building Ref (pre 1984) (II): ø Map No 32 19/10 West Woodhay House
  1635 altered, East and entrance front symmetrical, two storeys and attic, brick, projecting plinth, chamfered quoins, first floor string, moulded brick cornice, gabled attic, old tile roof. The centre part of three bays with gables, central octagonal wood turret with domed roof. Central projecting brick porch with engaged stone Ionic columns and entablature and rusticated corners framing arched opening and eight panelled central door, approached by flight of stone steps from small terrace between flanking wings. Wings have slight projections and are each of two bays with gabled attic. South front altered C.18, two storeys, vitreous brick with red dressings brick cornice, old tile roof. Five windows on first floor, five tall windows on ground floor with three centre windows grouped together. Interior may be of interest. The house is reputed to have been designed by Inigo Jones. The house has forecourt flanked by walls with the remains of a wide avenue of limes leading to a large canalised fish pond to east. Note: The original church stood on a site to the South East of the house. This was replaced by a brick church in 1717, now demolished, and in turn replaced by the present church in the village built by Sir A.W. Bloomfield in 1882-3. The site of the old church is enclosed by low hedges.

Monument Type(s):

• COUNTRY HOUSE (17th century to Late 19th century - 1635 AD to 1881 AD)
• MILITARY HOSPITAL (First World War - 1914 AD to 1918 AD)

Full Description

BUILT IN 1635, POSSIBLY BY INIGO JONES. IN ALMOST ITS ORIGINAL CONDITION, BUT WINDOW BARS REMOVED. TWO STOREY, RED BRICK, CENTRAL HALL, PROJECTING END WINGS, SINGLE STOREY PORCH, ROUND HEADED DOORWAY FLANKED BY IONIC PILLARS. A FINE EXAMPLE OF ITS PERIOD. GRADE I

Listing Description: Country house. 1635 altered and added to in 1881 by A.W. Blomfield, additions removed in 1951. English bond brick walls, plain tiled hipped roofs. Rectangular plan with symmetrical cross wings on East, C19 pavilion on North and C20 extension on West. 2 storeys and attic. Stone capped plinth, raised brick band at 1st floor and raised brick quoins, moulded brick architraves, terracotta eaves cornice with egg and dart mouldings, brick panelled and arcaded chimneys with offset and corniced caps. East Elevation: symmetrical, 2 large glazing bar sashes with exposed frames and one flat topped dormer to each cross wing, 3 glazing bar sashes with exposed frames and 3 pedimented dormers in central portion. Central projecting stone faced porch with engaged Ionic columns supporting entablature and blocking course, with central inscribed stone dated 1635, rusticated corners forming arched opening for pair of four panelled doors approached by 8 moulded stone steps. South Elevation: 5 glazing bar sashes with exposed frames and 3 flat topped dormers above central C19 square 3 window bay with panelled parapet incorporating stone inscribed "penfla hortum meum 1635" Interior: room to south has bolection moulded panelling and marble fine surround. Central stair-case hall has open well stair with turned balusters and carved square newels under papier maché ceiling depicting The Seasons. West Woodhay Manor is of great importance as one of the very earliest examples of the post-Jones Caroline house. Gables above the cornice were added above the cornice, and other alterations, by A.W. Blomfield, 1881, and removed C.1950. The medieval church south-east of the house was replaced by Sir John Vanbrugh, C.1718, in turn demolished by A.W. Blomfield with removal of church outside the gates, b.1882. <1>

Pevsner considers the house 'a bit of a mystery' <4>, as he felt its appearance would suggest a date later than the inscriptions, perhaps 1675. He notes the good gatepiers. The Ordnance Survey Field Investigator in the 1960s commented that it was a fine example of a large country house of this period, almost in its original condition, but the bars had been removed from the windows <10>.

West Woodhay House was used as a VAD hospital during the First World War <8>.

West Berkshire Museum has photographs showing the house in 1998 <11>.

A grand daughter of the owners wrote an account of the house and its rooms and occupants around the turn of the 19th to 20th centuries <15>.

Sources and further reading

Related Monuments

Associated Excavations and Fieldwork

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