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Summary

Grade II listed building, its timber framed hall dated to 1430s, refashioned in the 16th-17th century, with later refronting and alterations and a sub-division

Associated Legal Designations or Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1291421: BARTHOLOMEW MANOR
• Conservation Area: Newbury Town Centre

Other Statuses and Cross-References

• Berkshire SMR No. (pre 2000): 01389.12.000
  
• Old Listed Building Ref (pre 1984) (II): ø 1/168 No. 4 (Bartholomew Manor)
  Apparently described as barn and close in 1518, as Bartholomew Farm in 1535-79; the name Bartholomew Manor was used at later date. Restored 2 storey brick and timber with a C.18 rebuilt, now stuccoed front. Four gabled attic dormers in brown tile roof. Renewed red brick stacks. Modern 3-light sash windows. Possibly originally a C15 farmhouse type of long rectangular plan with long axis north and south. North gable has a stack; to west of this and at north end is an added wing which has remains of Flemish bond brick. On west side of north-south range, projecting from about the centre is a two storey timber framed structure 8ft square, which has been thought to be a c14 solar, if this is so it is in an unusual position and extremely small for such; it may, however, have been built to house a staircase. Interior: Original timber framed wall is now in middle of house towards the west side. Ancient ceiling beams, 2 ancient brick fireplaces, possibly C16, and remains of ancient staircase. Interior 1st floor north-east room is good early C18 panelling and fireplace. For description, drawings and plan, see Trans. Newbury Dist. Field Club, V1 (1932), 151-166.

Monument Type(s):

• HALL HOUSE (15th century - 1436 AD? to 1500 AD) + Sci.Date

Full Description

Two attached buildings known as Bartholomew Manor to the north (4 Argyle Road) and Bartholomew Cottage to the south (6 Argyle Road) are Grade II listed, originally built as a hall and solar, refashioned in the early Tudor period, with later additions. The frontage was refaced with modern materials.

The Newbury District Field Club <1><2> gives accounts of the history and construction of the Manor, with a plan and some interior photographs. The papers of Dr Walter Essex Wynter <2> (who retired there in 1919 to 1945 and who was the first person to perform a lumbar punch in 1889 <14>) emphasised the former importance of Argyle Road as being the main street into Newbury from Winchester and Southampton. He suggested the Manor was originally built as a hall and solar, and refashioned in the early Tudor period, with early 18th century additions. It was originally timber with a thatched roof and wattle and daub <2>. Documentary evidence indicated it was described as a barn and close in 1518, and Bartholomew Farm in the 16th century; the name Bartholomew Manor was adopted at a later date.

Core samples from 15 oak timbers in Bartholomew Manor and Cottage were dendrochronologically dated in 2016. These provide reasonable evidence that the hall was created in AD1436 or soon after. The building appears to have originally consisted of four bays <10>. Only fragmentary evidence of the original timber-frame building survives, mainly in the west wall-frame and north end gable. Assuming the western wall-frame is all coeval, the building appears to be of four bays. The roof has been raised in Bartholomew Manor (No 4), but the original roof with some smoke-blackened timbers survives in the end bay of Bartholomew Cottage.

Tree-ring series from two timbers are matched together to form a 58-year site chronology which is dated to span AD 1378 to AD 1435. One other timber is dated to span AD 1355 to AD 1434. Two timbers felled in the summers of AD 1435 and AD 1436, together with the close felling-date ranges from one other timber dated, provide reasonable evidence that construction of the hall occurred in AD 1436, or soon after. The three timbers dated come from the two southern bays (Bartholomew Cottage) <10>.

West Berkshire Museum has photographs showing the building around 1950; and in 2008 <11>.

Gelling notes the existence of Bartholomew Farm from 1567 <12>; 'Bartilmewes in Newbury' is also documented in 1547. The original site of the farm yard around Bartholomew Manor, moved c900m south-westwards and uphill probably due to urbanisation. Bartholomew Farm on the Andover Road was documented from the 18th century.

The late 19th century Town Plan of Newbury <13> shows the same sub-division of the building, but names No 4 Argyle Road as Litten Cottage. Litten House is a 19th century building 20m to the east across Argyle Road, formerly used as a school, with an attached medieval chapel.

Sources and further reading

Related Monuments

Associated Excavations and Fieldwork

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