Building record 0192401000 - MANOR HOUSE, CHURCH STREET, BUCKINGHAM

Dimensions - Length 24m, Width 12m.
Plan Form - Subrectangular.
Grade II+. Manor house, now divided into 2 houses. Probably early C16, with C17-C20 alterations. Timber-framed with brick infill, plain-tile roof and brick lateral stacks. Hall range flanked by cross wings. 2-storey, 5-window range. 6-panel door to far right of main range with moulded wood surround and straight hood on scrolled brackets. Projecting bay to left, between door and large front lateral stack to left of centre of rendered brick with flat lead roof continuous with door hood and 12-pane sash window. To left of stack, alongside left cross wing, a single-storey extension of coursed rubble with flat roof and plain-tiled right side slope behind rounded brick-coped gable to front; leaded 2-light casement window to front with cambered arched head, similar 3-light window to right side and 6-panel, part-glazed door next to main range. Close studding to 1st floor of main range with rendered brick infill, 3-light casement to right and 1-light leaded windows either side of stack. Right cross wing of red brick to ground floor, which has 4-light leaded wood mullion and transom window. Close studding and red brick infill to 1st floor with large ogee braces from end posts to tie beam, 12-pane sash window to centre and 1 light leaded window to gable. This cross wing has been slightly extended to right side in brick with cat-slide roof and probably also to rear, which is in brick and projects to back of main range. Large lateral brick stack to right side has rebuilt flue with brattishing to base. Left cross wing projects considerably to front and has ground floor of coursed limestone rubble, close studding to 1st floor with red brick infill and large arch braces from end posts to cambered tie beam; 12-pane sashes to ground and 1st floor and leaded 1-light window to gable. The front, projecting part of this wing is doubled to left side by full-height wing of coursed squared limestone to ground floor with limestone and ironstone quoins, and red brick in English bond to 1st floor replacing timber-framing; cellar window to front and 12-pane sash to 1st floor with wood lintel. 2-storey, possible former stair turret to back of this wing. 4-panel, part-glazed door to left side of main cross wing and further to rear a large projecting stone lateral stack with fine original barleysugar twist brick flue and additional square brick flue behind, probably C18. Little visible timber-framing to rear which is largely of red brick with single-storey flat-roofed bay window to rear left and 2-storey C20 brick porch in angle between main range and projecting part of right cross wing; sash windows to 1st floor. The first floor was probably originally jettied. INTERIOR: main range formerly had ground floor hall, now divided in two, with stone-flagged floor and chamfered cross beam ceiling with broach stops, originally with 6 compartments. Large early-mid C18 wood chimneypiece to inner room with egg-and-dart ornament to fireplace surround, central lion's mask and foliage sprays to frieze. Drawing room has Tudor-arched oak doorway to hall with quatrefoil and foliage to spandrels in square panelled timber-framed partition wall. Stop-moulded spine beam and stop-moulded joists. Large original stone fireplace with deep hollow-chamfered Tudor-arched opening with foliage to spandrels, frieze above with Tudor roses in quatrefoils alternating with shields in fleurons. One shield bears 3 rings, believed to be the arms of Richard Lavynder, Prebendary of Buckingham 1481-1507. Dogleg stair with widely spaced turned balusters. 1st floor has struts from posts to tie beams. Twisted Chimneys (ie left cross wing) has chamfered cross beam ceiling to ground floor, stone-flagged floors to hall and kitchen and rebuilt stair with turned balusters. 3-bay roof with curved braces to tie beams, queen posts to collars and 1 tier of wind-braced purlins. Rear 1st-floor room has part of original Tudor-arched fireplace with hollow-chamfer innermost and wave-moulding outermost. HISTORICAL NOTE: the building was the manor house of the Prebendal Manor of Sutton-cum-Buckingham, held by successive Prebendaries of Lincoln Cathedral until the Dissolution, when it passed into other hands, being used at some time in the C18 as a school. Queen Elizabeth I dined here around August 1568. (Sources: RCHME: Report on the Historical Monuments of Buckinghamshire:1913-: 74; Victoria County History: Buckinghamshire: 1925-: 482-3; Buildings of England: Pevsner N: Buckinghamshire: 1960-: 76) (B5).
2 storeys, timber framed, partly re-faced/re-built with brick & stone rubble [description & illustration of C16 twisted brick chimney]. Formerly called 'The Manor House' (B3).
Buildings report dated Nov 1992 held at NMR (B7).