Building record 1181000000 - THE VICARAGE, CHURCH STREET

Grade II+. Vicarage. C1445, altered C17 and C19, when extended; other C20 alterations. Uncoursed limestone rubble, rendered to front portion of right wing and to front of left wing, which is partly of red brick, plain-tile roofs, brick ridge and lateral stacks. Hall range flanked by cross wings. 2-storey, 3-window range. Hall range has central, double-leaf, 8-panel part-glazed doors with chamfered, Tudor-arched wood surround, in gabled wood porch. 1-light windows to ground floor, that to far left replacing door, and 3-light casement window to 1st floor above door, all with wood lintels. Right cross wing projects to front and has small 2-light casement to ground floor and taller, 2-light casement to 1st floor, both with hoodmoulds. Similar window to 1st floor of left cross wing, which has been extended to front and projects further out than right cross wing. Right side of this wing is of red brick with tripartite sash window to ground floor, 3-light casement to 1st floor above and 1-light casement to 1st floor near hall range, all with wood lintels. C19 two-storey gabled brick extension to rear centre, facing garden. INTERIOR: hall has chequered limestone paved floor with small black stone or slate squares to intersections. Scoop stop-chamfered spine beam. Fitted cupboard to back wall with shaped shelves. Drawing room occupies ground floor of right cross wing and has fine large, late C17 marble chimneypiece, now painted, and with Greek wave pattern to eared fireplace surround; frieze with swags of fruit and flowers either side of large central relief panel with cherub's head to centre of long scroll, and big, console brackets to shelf. Presented by the Marquis of Buckingham around 1808 to Rev Henry Crowe, believed to be of Buckingham marble and to have been originally made for Stowe. Reused C17 panelling flanks C19 staircase. Study in left cross wing has panelled wood chimneypiece and cast-iron grate with Japanese-style ornament. Small bedroom to front above drawing room, has bolection-moulded wood corner chimneypiece and large veined grey marble, bolection-moulded chimneypiece in larger bedroom, probably both late C17. Roof of former open hall in attic of 2 bays with tie beams to principals, short queen posts and collars. 1 tier of wind-braced purlins, large original rafters and ridgepiece. Wings have similar roofs. Nicholas Dixon, prebendary of Sutton-cum-Buckingham, assented to the institution and foundation of the Vicarage of Buckingham in 1445, the church having previously been served by chaplains. The present vicarage was probably built then, on ground specially purchased for the purpose. It had an open hall until it was sub-divided horizontally in the C17, retaining a through-passage where the screens passage was. (Crowe H Rev: Entry in Parish Register 10.6.1814 re alterations to Vicarage; Hester CG Rev revised by Bell JW Rev: Parish Church of Saints Peter and Paul, Buckingham: Buckingham: 1990-:12)(B1).