Listed Building record MDR10660 - Old Hall Cottage, Stenson Lane, Twyford and Stenson

Old Hall Cottage, Stenson Lane, Twyford and Stenson, originally a 16th century building. 'It is possible that this house was built or adapted by one of the Smythsons for the Harpur family after they had inherited it from the Findernes, who had previously held it, having inherited the estate from the Twyford family in the 14th century. In 1713 it passed to the Bathurst family, who had no need to live there, and it began to be reduced. In the 19th century there was a low timber-framed wing, but today, behind the Victorian brick façade of what was, until recently, two cottages, there survives an ashlar rear, with stone cross-wing and two great chimney breasts and fireplaces to match.' (1) 'A two-storey north-facing house, built in part of brick and in part of sandstone, with a tiled roof, standing back from the east side of a lane leading south from Stenson Lock. The coursed sandstone south wall is marked by two great chimneystacks whose tops have been rebuilt in brick. Until 1960 it was a pair of cottages but at one time it was a manor house with a large timber-framed west range of which nothing now remains. Following a survey and the examination of an old drawing of the building, it was hypothesised that there was originally a medieval open-hall and crosswing manor house to the west of and in line with the present building, extended first to the south of the wing and later extended again by adding the present house which provided a more up-to-date hall and parlour. The small south wing was later added to this in stone but with some timber walling above, at least on the east side. At some point, probably by 1713, it ceased to be maintained as a gentry house, and the parlour was converted into a farm kitchen, with bread ovens being built onto the stack. From then on it gradually fell into decay. The brickwork of the front wall presumably replaced worn timber framing when the Harpurs converted the house into two cottages and pulled down the west end of the building.' (2) From the National Heritage List for England: 'PARISH OF TWYFORD AND STENSON STENSON LANE, TWYFORD SK 32 NW 3/109 (East side) 19.1.67 Old Hall Cottage GV II* House. C16 and early C19. Coursed squared sandstone and red brick. Plain tile roof. Two massive lateral stacks. Chamfered stone plinth. Two storeys. South elevation of massive sandstone blocks, dominated by the two stacks, raised in brick in the C19. Projecting gabled bay to left has a 2-light casement window to each floor, the lower has the remains of a chamfered stone surround. The upper has a brick segmental arch. To the right there are no openings to the ground floor and two horizontal bands of C20 casements beneath the eaves. The west elevation, also of stone, has a single light window to ground floor and a blocked window above. The north elevation is of brick with sawtooth eaves cornice. Three segment headed 3-light casements to ground floor and a blocked segment headed doorway to left with C20 window set in. Three segment headed 3-light casements above. Lean-to bay set back to right has a doorway with panelled door and rectangular overlight and a 2-light segment headed casement above. Interior: The main ground floor rooms are of generous proportions, high ceilings with exposed beams, the principals stop chamfered. Two massive C16 fireplaces, one with a four-centred arch with joggle jointed voussoirs, the other with a chamfered segmental arch with joggle jointed voussoirs. Close studded partitions. Early C19 stick baluster staircase with turned newels and ramped handrail. Upper corridor has a moulded four-centred arched stone chimneypiece with a cupboard to the left. Stud partition with curved braces. Two bay collar purlin roof with tension braces. Said to be the remains of the C16 Twyford Hall. Listing NGR: SK3300028729.' (3)