Building record 0200401000 - BRADENHAM MANOR

Dimensions - Width 15m, Length 49m.
Plan Form - E-shaped.
Grade II+. Training college. Circa 1670, probably for Sir Edmund Pye and wife Catherine Lucas whose arms appear on staircase ceiling. S. wing incorporates remains of C16 house of Windsor family. Altered mid C19 and early C20. Brick, once colourwashed, with hipped old tile main roofs, slate pitches over narrow rear range, and panelled brick chimneys. 2 storeys, basement, and attic. W. front has 9 bays of red brick with red mortar. Plinth of older brick in English bond, moulded first floor band course, moulded eaves with narrow dentils, narrow recessed panels between windows. Windows have moulded brick architrave surrounds, those to ground floor with raised friezes and moulded brick cornices that interrupt band course. C19 3-pane sashes with narrow glazing bars. 2 basement windows to right, 4 flat-roofed dormers with small sashes. Central C20 doors with radiating fanlight, doorcase of fluted pilasters and open segmental pediment, and rusticated surround of whitewashed render with segmental head. Approached by flight of 8 moulded stone steps flanked by pair of stone pedestals with carved reclining dogs. Single storey extensions of 1903 to left. 3 additional bays to right are of mid-late C18 vitreous header brick with red dressings and deep first floor band course. These bays have blind sashes, later sash to first floor left, mid C19 arched window with stained glass to ground floor left, and 2 dormers. S. front has 8 bays similar to main W. front, but is of irregular brickwork without recessed panels between windows. 4th window formerly a door, 5th bay has false windows. 3 dormers. Rear is irregular, of red and vitreous brick, partly chequered, with first floor band and dentil eaves. Sash windows with gauged brick heads. Central staircase Projection has pair of blind oval windows and altered 3-light window below. Projection in angle with S. wing has old panelled door and Gothick glazing in window above. 1903 extensions project to right. Interior: main staircase is c.1670 with turned balusters, wide moulded handrail, closed string and panelled newels with ball finials. Painted ceiling above has matching illusionistic balustrade with corner urns, and sky with clouds and putti carrying coat of arms. Later entry from staircase to hall has 2 painted illusionistic niches with statues. Another staircase in S. wing with more slender balustrade, altered. Remainder altered mid C19 and early C20. Home of Isaac Disraeli 1830-48. (International Computers and Tabulators Ltd., Bradenham Manor Past and Present, 1965 (B2).
Built c.1670 probably for Sir Edmund Pye. S wing incorporates remains of C16 house of Windsors. E-shaped plan perhaps is mid-C16 Windsor house. Foundations/parchmarks on S lawn may indicate site of Tudor house/former SW wing. House altered mid-C19 & early C20; most of exterior is modern (B1-6).
National Trust survey (B7).
Geophysical survey and trench excavation by National Trust reveals details of earlier 16th century house. A substantial E-W brick wall footing was interpreted as a remnant of the north wall of the manor house built by Andrew, 1st Lord Windsor in the 1540s (B8-9).
Dendro-dating obtains felling date of 1652-3 for principal roof trusses of east-west ridge, with re-use of some of these timbers in the later north-south ridges. See report (filed) for detailed discussion of roof (B12).
The outer slopes of the roof of Bradenham Manor were re-tiled during 2000 and an archaeological watching brief was maintained whilst this work was in progress. It was possible to examine and record the wall plates running around the entirety of the building. Many of these were found to be re-used timbers since they carried empty mortices for the feet of rafters no longer in situ. These timbers probably originate from the 1650s phase of construction but were re-ordered when the west range was added 20-30 years later. Above the wall plates the outer slopes of the roof were found to be clad with horizontal softwood planks. These battens serve as insulation and also carry the battens for the tiles. On the east and north slopes an arrangement of timbers for two earlier dormer windows predating the existing 18th century dormer windows were noted and recorded (B16).
Excavation in the west garden forecourt in 2005 found the continuation of the north wall footing of the 1540s manor house, 22m from the earlier find. The footing measures 0.8m in width and is laid in English bond brickwork. The excavation also revealed an internal partition wall within this building, with a chimney breast attached to its north face. The south wall of the Tudor building was not revealed, though it was partially exposed by excavations
in 1998, suggesting that the building measured 12m in width. It was probably demolished in the 1650s, as dendrochronology dating of the roof timbers of the present house suggest that it was substantially rebuilt between 1652 and 1653 (B15).