Ledbury (Rural)

48 LEDBURY (Rural) (D.d.)

(O.S. 6 in. ^(a)XXXV, S.E., ^(b)XXXVI, S.W., ^(c)XLI, N.E., ^(d)XLII, N.W., ^(e)XLII, S.W.)

Ledbury Rural is a parish surrounding Ledbury Urban on the N., W. and S. The principal monuments are Wall Hills Camp, Dingwood Park and Wood House.

Secular

^a(1). Quatsford, house and moat, on the W. border of the parish, about 2¾ m. N.W. of Ledbury church. The House is mainly of late 18th-century date, but incorporates the timber-framed wall of a late 16th or early 17th-century building. A brick-built cellar of the same date has recently been found to the E. of this wall.

The Moat surrounds the house and encloses a large area.

Condition—Good.

^e(2). Dingwood Park, house about 1½ m. S.S.E. of Ledbury church, is of two storeys with a basement; the walls are of brick with stone dressings and the roofs are tiled. It was built late in the 17th century on a square plan with a small projecting wing on the S.E. This wing was subsequently extended to the E.

The house is a somewhat unusual example of its period, and the plaster ceilings are noteworthy.

The house is symmetrically planned with projections at the angles supporting panelled chimney-stacks. The W. front has symmetrically placed windows with flush frames and double-hung sashes; the basement-windows are of stone and of two lights; the doorway has a modern pediment. Between the first-floor windows are two stone cartouches-of-arms. The other fronts, in general, have double-hung sashes only to the first floor, the ground-floor windows being of stone with a single mullion and transom; several of the windows are blocked. The basement-windows are similar to those of the W. front. Inside the building the Dining-room has an original plaster ceiling (Plate 152) divided into three main panels by moulded trabeations; the middle pane has a central wreath of fruit and flowers and floral sprays in the quadrant angles; the side panels have branches of oak and bay. The walls are lined with moulded panelling with dado-rail and the fireplace has a moulded stone surround. The Drawing-room formerly included the entrance-passage, and has a plaster ceiling of eight panels with moulded trabeations. The fireplace is similar to that in the dining-room. The Study has a plaster ceiling in three bays with moulded trabeations and wreaths of oak and bay-leaves. The original staircase (Plate 75) has moulded strings, turned balusters, and square newels with moulded caps and pierced pendants. The S.W. room, on the first floor, has a plaster ceiling of three panels and a fireplace similar to those above described.

Condition—Good.

Monuments (3–43)

The following monuments, unless otherwise described, are of the 17th century and of two storeys, timber-framed and plastered; the roofs are covered with tiles or slates. Some of the buildings have original chimney-stacks and exposed ceiling-beams and timber-framing.

Condition—Good or fairly good, unless noted.

^d(3). Cottage, on the W. side of the road, 350 yards W.N.W. of (2), has exposed timber-framing.

^c(4). Cottage, at Hill Field, 120 yards W. of (3), has exposed timber-framing and a thatched roof.

^d(5). Smithy, on the W. side of the road, at Parkway Corner, is partly of brick.

^d(6). House, N. of (5), was built of brick early in the 18th century.

^d(7). Dunbridge Farm, house, 500 yards N. of Parkway Corner, has exposed timber-framing on all sides.

^d(8). The Bullen, house, ¼ m. N.N.E. of (7), incorporates part of a rectangular building, with exposed timber-framing. The upper storey projects on the N. front on a moulded bressummer and shaped brackets. Inside the building, is an early 17th-century overmantel, with two bays of enriched arcading; flanking the fireplace and on the other walls of the room is panelling of the same period with the carved date 1640 and a carved frieze.

^d(9). Cottage, S. of (8), has exposed timber-framing. Inside the building is some refixed panelling with a fluted frieze.

^d(10). Cheltmoor Cottage, 300 yards E.N.E. of (8) and ¾ m. S.E. of Ledbury church, has exposed timber-framing.

^c(11). Cottage in Ledbury Park, 220 yards N.N.W. of (8), has exposed timber-framing.

^c(12). Wild House Farm, house, on the W. side of the road, 830 yards S. of Ledbury church, has exposed timber-framing on the N. and W. sides. The porch on the E. side is of two storeys, the upper resting on oak posts; S. of it is a chimney-stack with two diagonal shafts.

^c(13). Hall House Farm, house, 500 yards W. of Parkway Corner, was built of brick c. 1700, but has a lower and earlier range on the E. Inside the building are some doors of c. 1700 and a dog-legged staircase without balusters.

^c(14). The Noad, house and barn, on the W. side of the road, about 2 m. S. of Ledbury church. The House has exposed timber-framing and a modern addition on the W. side.

The Barn, E. of the house, is of three bays, partly weather-boarded and partly with interlacing slats.

^c(15). Argus Farm, house and barn, about 1½ m. S.S.W. of Ledbury church. The House has a small projecting wing on the N. side and a cider-house adjoining a modern addition on the W. The timber-framing is partly exposed.

The Barn, N. of the house, is of four bays with a granary, mostly weather-boarded.

^c(16). Hazle Farm, house and barn, ¾ m. N.W. of (15). The House is of L-shaped plan with the wings extending towards the S. and E. and a small wing projecting to the W. This last with most of the S. wing is old, but the rest of the house was reconstructed in the 18th century. Some of the timber-framing is exposed. Inside the building a room in the E. wing has an early 18th-century fireplace with an entablature and broken pediment and a shield-of-arms of Elton. The staircase, of the same date, has moulded strings and twisted balusters.

The Barn, N.E. of the house, has exposed timber-framing.

^c(17). Leather Mill Cottage, 1,100 yards S.S.W. of (16), has exposed timber-framing.

^c(18). Orlham Farm, house and outbuildings, ½ m. N.W. of (17). The House is of L-shaped plan with the wings extending towards the N. and W. There are late 17th-century additions on the W. side. Much of the timber-framing is exposed.

The Outbuildings consist of a small building N. of the house, a cattle-shed W. of the house, and a barn of seven bays S.W. of the house.

^c(19). Hill House Farm, house, 1½ m. S.W. of Ledbury church, has been almost entirely re-built in brick.

^c(20). Old Lilly Hall Farm, house, 1,000 yards W.N.W. of (19), was originally of L-shaped plan with the wings extending towards the E. and N. An addition of 1786 makes the present plan half H-shaped. Much of the timber-framing is exposed. Inside the building are some original doors and a fireplace with a chamfered lintel.

^c(21). Outbuildings at Fairtree Farm, 1 m. W.S.W. of Ledbury church, stand S. of the house and consist of a stable and a barn at right angles to it. The timber-framing is exposed and the stable has a collar-beam roof with curved braces.

^a(22). Barn, S.E. of Groves End Farm, 1½ m. W.N.W. of Ledbury church, is weather-boarded and of four bays, with a modern extension.

^a(23). Bush Hill Cottage, S. of the road and about 1¾ m. N.W. of Ledbury church, has exposed timber-framing.

Condition—Poor.

^a(24). Barn, W. of Baynham's Farm and 300 yards W. of (23), has exposed timber-framing.

^a(25). Upper Wallhills Farm, house and barn on the N. side of the road, 600 yards W. of (24). The House has been re-built except for one room which has been re-faced with brick.

The Barn, S. of the house, has exposed timber-framing.

Condition—Poor.

^a(26). Greenways Farm, house, on the S. side of the road, 200 yards W.S.W. of (25), is of L-shaped plan with the wings extending towards the W. and N. The W. wing has rubble walls, but the N. wing has exposed timber-framing.

^a(27). Callow Hills Farm, house, 540 yards N.W. of (26), was entirely remodelled in the 18th century and mostly re-faced in brick.

^a(28). Marley Hall, about 2½ m. N.W. of Ledbury church, has been largely re-built except for the middle part of the main block and a projecting E. wing. The wing has exposed timber-framing. Inside the building is an iron fire-back with the initials and date: I.W.I. 1629.

^a(29). Cottage, on the N. side of the road, 700 yards W.N.W. of (28), has a thatched roof and exposed timber-framing.

^a(30). The Leeches, cottage, ¼ m. N.E. of (29), has exposed timber-framing.

Condition—Bad.

^a(31). Barns, 150 yards N. of Baregains and 2¾ m. N.N.W. of Ledbury church. Both have exposed timber-framing and the N. barn incorporates some late 16th or early 17th-century moulded timbers.

Condition—Bad.

^a(32). Wood House (Plate 26), ¼ m. E. of (31), was built in the 14th or 15th century on a T-shaped plan with the cross-wing at the E. end. The Hall occupies the middle of the main block with the buttery at the W. end and the solar in the cross-wing. The timber-framing is exposed externally and the N. gable of the cross-wing has simply foiled barge-boards. Inside the building, the Hall, formerly open to the roof, was of two main bays with a screens-bay at the W. end. The former partition between the hall and buttery had three doorways, the mortices for the posts of which still remain. The truss above the screen had posts carried down to form speres, but the lower parts of these and the arched braces to the collar-beam have been removed. The central truss of the hall is of crutch-type with chamfered main blades and collar and subsidiary blades or braces, also chamfered, under the collar; the E. bay is further divided by a subsidiary truss with a flatcurved brace under the collar. The cross-wing has a roof of four bays with trusses similar to the subsidiary truss in the hall and a central truss with a tie-beam and raking struts to the collar.

^a(33). Jug's Green, house, 400 yards S. of (32), has exposed timber-framing and a small projecting wing on the N. side.

Condition—Poor.

^a(34). House, on the W. side of the road at Plaistow, nearly 1¾ m. N.W. of Ledbury church, has a small cross-wing at the S. end. Some of the timber-framing is exposed.

^a(35). Rea Farm, house and outbuildings, 500 yards S.E. of (34). The House is of H-shaped plan with the cross-wings at the E. and W. ends. The timber-framing is mostly exposed, but the E. wing has been largely re-built.

The Outbuildings include a barn, N. of the house, of three bays with queen-post trusses, and a ciderhouse, S.W. of the house, with exposed timber-framing.

^a(36). Little Frith, cottage, about ¾ m. N. of Ledbury church, has exposed timber-framing.

^a(37). Frith Farm, house and outbuilding, about 1¼ m. N. of Ledbury church. The House consists of an L-shaped block of late 16th or early 17th-century date and an 18th-century addition on the W. The timber-framing is exposed in the gables and on the E., N. and W. sides are several original windows with moulded frames and mullions. There are also two original doorways with heavy oak frames and a door of moulded battens.

^a(38). Cottage, on the S. side of the road, at Bradlow, ¾ m. N.N.E. of Ledbury church, has exposed timber-framing.

^a(39). Cottage, at cross-roads 300 yards S.S.E. of (38).

^b(40). Cottage, on the N.W. side of the road, nearly 1 m. N.N.E. of Ledbury church, was built c. 1700 and has a thatched roof.

^b(41). Massington Farm, house, about 2 m. N.E. of Ledbury church, is partly of rubble and brick construction. It was mainly built early in the 17th century on a half H-shaped plan with the wings extending towards the N. The N.E. wing has remains of 15th-century work. The exterior has been refaced. Inside the building, the N.E. wing has remains of a 15th-century door-head with a range of cinquefoil-headed panels and a moulded cornice above; on the first floor are portions of moulded wall-posts and the arched braces of a 15th-century roof. The main room on the ground floor has 17th-century moulded ceiling-beams.

^b(42). Ockeridge Farm, house, nearly 2¾ m. N.E. of Ledbury church, is of half H-shaped plan with the wings extending towards the S.W. There is some exposed timber-framing but much of the building has been refaced. An original window of three lights on the N. side has a moulded frame. Inside the building are some original doors of moulded battens.

^b(43). Netherton Farm, house and outbuildings, 2½ m. E.N.E. of the church. The House has a cross-wing at the N. end; the timber-framing is exposed on the W. front. Adjoining the E. of the house is a dairy with exposed timber-framing.

The Barn, N.E. of the house, is of six bays, weather-boarded and partly re-built. The Stable, E. of the house, has exposed timber-framing on the W. side.

Unclassified

^c(44). Wall Hills Camp (Plate 2), earthwork occupying the plateau-like summit at the extremity of Wall Hills, 1½ m. W.N.W. of the church, is an irregularly-shaped work which, including defences, is of an area of approximately 36 acres. It consists of two enclosures, the more southerly of which is approximately 22 ft. higher and is divided from the northern enclosure by a rampart and wet outer ditch.

The whole area would appear to have been surrounded by a ditch with high and steep inner scarp, and an outer rampart following the natural contours. At the present time, however, the ditch has been largely filled in for much of its length and has the form of a berm at the foot of the inner scarp; the outer rampart, too, is only fragmentary.

The more northerly enclosure would appear to have been defended by the high and steep inner scarp, but the southern enclosure had the additional strength afforded by an inner rampart.

There are now four entrances (see plan), the first, on the N.E., has the scarp turned inwards on each side of the opening, while externally the sunken trackwayapproach curves round to the N. of the entrances. The second entrance is in the re-entrant angle of the camp on the north, where a portion of the camp projects in a northerly direction; the eastern scarp of this small promontory is returned on the N. side of the entrance. The third entrance, and probably the fourth, are modern. There are two entrances from the northern to the southern enclosure, one at the S.E. corner of the latter where the rampart is turned slightly inwards on the N. side of the gap, and the other being in the centre of the north side where it abuts on the S.W. extremity of the northern enclosure. This last entrance, however, is very possibly not original. The general plan and type of the work would seem to indicate that it dates from the Early Iron Age.

Outside the camp there is a small bank running southwards down the hillside from the S.E. angle, and at the base of the hill there is a good deal of artificial scarping, etc., for paths; but, apart from the original approach to the first entrance, these would appear to be of varying and later dates. In a field situated immediately S. of Kite's Nest Wood and 200 yards W. of the camp is a series of terraces, possibly lynchets.

Condition—Fairly good, but some damage has been done by cultivation of the site.

^b(45). Kilbury Camp, earthwork, at the foot of the northern slope of the hill, 200 yards S. of Mitchell Farm and approximately 1 m. N.E. of Ledbury church. There is little to show what was the original form of this work; all that now remains are some fragmentary portions of a slight bank which, in its best preserved part, shows faint signs of a ditch on either side. It is possible that the sunken lane leading to Lower Mitchell Farm carries on the line which would appear to have encircled part, at least, of the base of the hill. Immediately S. of this bank an enclosure is formed by what would appear to be artificial scarps forming roughly the quadrant of a circle on plan, of which the bank forms the arc. There has also been some slight artificial scarping on the summit of the hill, but this would appear to be comparatively modern.

Condition—Poor.

^a(46). Lynchets, in two fields W. of and within Frith Wood and ¾ m. N. of the church. Along the eastern boundary of the more northerly field and continuing half-way down the more southerly field are two terraces of an average width of approximately 17 yards and about 140 yards in length. The remaining half of the southern field has a series of wider irregularly shaped terraces running from E. to W. across the whole field. In the wood is a second series of terraces.

Condition—Fairly good.