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Summary

Grade II listed house created from a granary and dovecote, possibly depicted in 18th century engraving but greatly altered in the late 20th century

Associated Legal Designations or Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1117221: MOREWOOD HOUSE

Other Statuses and Cross-References

• Old Listed Building Ref (pre 1984) (II): ø Map No 25 3/79 Ivy House
  C.16-17, formerly a dovecote and granary, altered by Wynne and later; two storeys ,brick, rusticated brick quoins, moulded brick frieze and deep coved cornice, steep pitched hipped old tile roof, central chimney. S. front originally 3 bays, central upper blocked, 6 panelled central door under flat hood. E. and W. fronts originally 5 bays, some windows blocked. Interior may be of interest.

Monument Type(s):

• DOVECOTE (16th century to 17th century - 1540 AD to 1700 AD?)
• GRANARY (16th century to 17th century - 1540 AD to 1700 AD?)
• MANAGERS HOUSE (19th century to Late 20th century - Present - 1801 AD to 1985 AD?)
• COUNTRY HOUSE (Late 20th century - Present - 1985 AD to 2000 AD)

Full Description

Morewood House is a large brick house just outside the perimeter of Hamstead Marshall park. On the First Edition Ordnance Survey mapping <> it is shown as a dwelling with attached outbuildings, within an irregular yard. By the Second Epoch it is named as Ivy House <2>, and it was added to the list of buildings of architectural interest in the 1960s when it was described as a former granary and dovecote, of 16th and 17th century date with 18th and 20th century alterations <3><4>. It may be present in Kyp's 1709 engraving of a bird's-eye view of Hamstead Marshall, seat of Lord Craven: a rectangular building with roof is shown in the distance behind the formal gardens and avenues <5>.

Stokes <6> notes that the dovecote origin is suggested by some holes in the original brickwork as well as the older name of Pigeon House, shown on maps of 1775 <7> and 1840 <8>. By 1840 there was a timber and carpentry yard there, and in the early 20th century it was occupied by the Agents of the Craven estate <6>.

The whole estate was put up for sale in 1984, with many subsequent alterations to its land and buildings. Ivy House was renamed as Morewood House and was greatly restored and extended. The Royal Commission visited in 1985 and took photographs of the exterior and interior <9><10>, presumably prior to these alterations. It is acknowledged in the later listed building description <4> that there are several 20th century features to the building, echoing earlier periods, such as the simulated rubbed brick arches, the west elevation sash windows and the south elevation oval window and the doorcase. Rooms were also fitted into the roof <6>. The revised Pevsner guide however does not appear to acknowledge this modern reconstruction, describing Morewood House as a compact hipped-roofed double pile of brick, probably 1660-70 <11>.

Sources and further reading

Related Monuments

Associated Excavations and Fieldwork

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