Building record 0107600000 - LISCOMBE HOUSE, SOULBURY

Dimensions - Length 50m, Width 50m.
Plan Form - Quadrangula.
Grade II+. Country House. Probably mid C17, altered late C17 and late C18. For Lovett family. English bond brick, slate roof to N., tiled pitches to N. and W. wing, old tiles to E. wing, brick chimneys. Ranges around 3 sides of a courtyard, that to E. a service wing with central gateway and stables to south. N. and W. wings altered in picturesque Gothic manner 1769 and originally roughcast. 2 storeys. N. front has castellated parapet, raised in the form of a pediment over 3 centre bays. 11 bays in all. End bays are advanced with flanking round turrets, 3 centre bays also advanced but with square turrets. Turrets have plinths, band courses and blind arrow slits. Barred sash wind6ws in heavily moulded white-painted stone architrave surrounds, some with segmental brick relieving arches. Altered doorways between end bays: left entry blocked, now with a small wooden casement; right entry has C20 6-panelled door in C20 stone architrave with pulvinated frieze and pediment, and small sash window above. Small round windows to both floors between bays 6 and 7. E. return wall has castellated porch with pointed arched doorways, 3-light triple-pointed leaded window, and 2 circular windows to first floor W. front of 7 bays has minimal giant pilasters, and band oourse to central section. 2 outer bays on each side have ogee gables with moulded copings, 3 centre bays have battlemented parapet altered to crow-stepped gables. Barred sash windows with wooden hoods. Wide half-glazed door in fifth bay has wooden surround of Doric pilasters and plain entablature. Groups of C17 square brick chimney shafts set diagonally, 4 between bays 2 and 3, 2 between bays 4 and 5. Large projecting stack to right side wall has 6 shafts, round, square and octagonal with moulded neckings, on moulded entablature base. Battlemented wall to right with pointed archway and wrought iron gate leads to small square plan pavilion with battlements, round openings, blind arch to E. and flush panelled door to S. Courtyard elevations have sash windows. Entry to W. wing has C17 white-painted shouldered stone architrave surround with pulvinated frieze, cornice and wide half-glazed door. Extensions of c.1920 in matching style in angle between N. and W. wings. These wings have lead rainwater heads, some re-sited, dated 1639, 1665, 1670 and 1774. E. range has moulded eaves cornice with dentils. 3 bays on each side of central gateway. N. part of range has 2 storeys of sash windows and re-sited C17 2-light stone mullion window, moulded and painted, in blocked arch to right of E. side. Late C17 stable bays are of one storey and attic, the W. side with 3 blocked oeil-de-boeuf windows. The E side has 3 wooden mullion and transom windows with barred casements, 2 board doors in painted stone architrave frames with keyblocks, and 2 hipped semi-dormers with hayloft door and sash window. Central mid C17 gateway has arch with raised brick keyblock, 3-light barred casement above, stepped gables and flanking pairs of pilasters with arched niches and raised brick panels between. E. side of gateway retains some capitals and lengths of entablature above the pilasters, W. side has been altered. Interior has C17 and early C18 style panelling, fireplaces and staircase all installed c.1920. May incorporate fragments. And plan of older building. RCHM II p. 268-9 Mon.3. Illustrated in Lipscombe, History of the County of Buckingham Vol. III p.467 1847 (B10).
Photographic recording carried out in 2016 during internal alterations (B15).
Summary (B20).