The Oldest Buildings in Peterborough: Part Two

This time I am focussing on domestic and ancillary buildings and I’m certain you’re desperate to know the oldest building, but there needs to be a little explanation first.

The oldest group of buildings in modern Peterborough and the soke are, of course, churches. So it’s no surprise that buildings associated with the churches are also some of the oldest, specifically the buildings in the Cathedral precincts. I have therefore separated the cathedral buildings into their own little table. You can decide whether you think the buildings belong with the churches, or domestic buildings. The dates are from the buildings listing and it should be made clear that some of the buildings have changed names. I have given The Deanery (was no. 15) the top spot as the oldest building because other people have told me they believe it is the oldest and that there are Norman features in the building. As ever, if you know more, then please let me know. As with all of these buildings, if you get the chance to visit during the Heritage Open Days, I highly recommend it. The King’s Lodgings has some incredible features and is an entrance route into the Great Gate, which has a fantastic dual aspect views over Cathedral Square and the Cathedral (as shown in the picture). I would love to lead a creative writing class in that space – just imagine the tales that people would be inspired to write!

 

Deanery (was no. 15)	Cathedral precincts	12th
King’s Lodgings	Cathedral precincts	12th
Chapel of St Thomas of Canterbury (Becket’s Chapel)	Cathedral precincts	1174-77
Great Gate	Cathedral precincts	1174-94
Prior’s Gate (was Deanery)	Cathedral precincts	13th core
Table Hall	Cathedral precincts	15th
Canonry House	Cathedral precincts	Medieval

To reiterate the parameters I used in the first part of this blog, a building can only be dated from the first substantial, structural element that it contains. It needs to be more than a wall or window i.e. to remove it would change the look or integrity of the building. It’s also worth adding that datestones are not always good indicators of a buildings age. Datestones often commemorate improvements (raised roofs, new wings, new owners) and can even be fitted into later buildings from earlier demolished buildings. Therefore, datestones should be treated with some scrutiny, only being believed if the architectural features agree. Also, with the number of buildings on the list they have been grouped based on the date given. Some of the time periods – medieval, for example – make it very difficult to compare one building to another because the period is so long, so what might be the oldest building today may change as information is discovered.

The oldest house in Peterborough is probably Longthorpe Tower House – not the tower - with a date of 1250-1270 according to English Heritage. The house was built first and the tower was a later addition at the end of the century. They were part of the same property, but I have included them separately because they are distinct buildings and have different owners.  Why have I written ‘probably’? There is another building that it possibly older. Sibberton Lodge at Thornaugh is potentially older because of its 13^th century wing (possibly a previous chapel). The main building dates from 1657, according to the datestone, but would be much less of a building without the substantial 13th century wing, and so it stakes its place as a viable contender for the oldest building in the soke. There are videos online that show the gardens and views of the house, so do google it if you’re curious. (And if you’re extra curious you can google the deserted medieval village of Sibberton). 

In third place on the list is Woodcroft Castle – hurrah, a castle! Dated to the late 13^th century, it has its own moat and gruesome ghost story. At one time it was neighbours with Torpel Manor and Maxey Castle, which have both since returned to the ground, leaving this the last castle in the area. It is hidden away down a single-track road and is definitely not easy to visit, but you can find images of the interior online from its recent sale and there are some beautiful features.

The rest of the list deserves a lengthy note on each building, but that will perhaps have to become a book, or a talk to any local groups who are interested. A few points worth noting are that Barnack and Maxey are the top two destinations to visit if you’re looking for pre-1700 buildings. With Barnack having the oldest church (and therefore oldest building) in the district, it is perhaps not surprising that there are other old and fascinating buildings in the vicinity. Take a walk around the village and enjoy the landscape archaeology in the middle of the village too (particularly if you’re a fan of moats).

The addition of Peakirk Hermitage on this list is definitely up for debate. I could have placed it with the churches, and still might move it, but decided to include it in domestic buildings. This is because it was always designed as a living space, unlike the churches, and is now a private residence. If someone has a strong case for its removal to the churches list, I’m happy to listen and move it. But then it raises the question of whether rectories need to be moved too, and both lists could start to change a lot.

One way to enjoy the list it to identify a well-known building – Burghley House for example – and count the number of buildings that pre-date it or find buildings of a similar age. I have highlighted some of the best-known buildings for ease. I was surprised to find several buildings with datestones close to that of Thorpe Hall. It is noted as a Cromwellian mansion, but it was not the only Cromwellian building in the area, with three others having datestones from the era, and the potential inclusion of the Old Rectory at Thornhaugh and others also belonging to that period.

It's also worth pointing out that some of the buildings are available as holiday lets, so if you’re looking for a bit of local history and a get away for the weekend, they might just fit the bill. And if you’ve stumbled across this blog because you’re researching your holiday let, hello!

As ever, if you disagree with my placement of buildings, if you have further information, or if you’ve noticed a mistake, please do get in touch. I politely request that you don’t take this information and use it in your own work or social media, but reference it or place a link to it instead. Thank you.

Building	Location	Date
Longthorpe Tower House	Longthorpe	1250-70
Sibberton Lodge	Thornhaugh	13th wing (1657 main house)
Woodcroft Castle	Near Etton	Late 13th
Longthorpe Tower	Longthorpe	1290-1300
Hermitage	Peakirk	Circa 1300 chancel
7 Station Road	Barnack	13-14th
Old Rectory (Uphall)	Ufford	13-14th
The Rectory	Paston	13-14th
Northborough Manor and Gatehouse	Northborough	1330-40
Oxney Farmhouse	Oxney	14th origin
The Friary	Maxey	Medieval
Manor Farmhouse	Werrington	Part Medieval (17th)
Old Vicarage	Maxey	Probably Medieval
25 Mill Road	Maxey	Possibly Medieval
Stoney Croft	Barnack	Possibly Medieval
Feoffee Cottages	Barnack	15th
Lolham Hall	Lolham, near Maxey	Late 15th/early 16th
Castle Farmhouse	Maxey	15th/16th (17th and 19th)
College Farmhouse (was Helpston House)	Helpston	15th/16th
Barn to south-east of The Limes	Barnack	15th/16th
Village Farmhouse	Castor	Prob 15th/16th
Kingsley House	Barnack	Early 16th
75 Church Street	Werrington	16th
Etton Manor House	Etton	16th
Hake House	Peterborough	Probably mid-16th
Burghley House	Near Stamford	1555-87
Manor Farmhouse	Orton Wistow	1571
Abbey House	Thorney	Late 16th
Upton Manor	Upton near Ailsworth	Late 16th
Fayreholme, Church St	Werrington	Late 16th
Westwood Farm	Westwood	Possibly 16th
Milton Hall	Near Bretton	1594
46 Cherry Orton	Orton Wistow	1600
Wothorpe Tower (Ruin)	Wothorpe	1600
Church Farmhouse	Etton	16th/17th
Manor Farmhouse	Helpston	16th/17th (1660)
Maxey Hall	Maxey	16th/17th
Woodgate House	Maxey	16th/17th
Belsize Farmhouse and Barn	Near Marholm	Prob 16th/17th
Orton Hall	The Village, Orton Longueville	Late 16th/early 17th (part)

17th Century

22 Main Street	Barnack	Prob 17th or earlier
23 and 24 Main Street	Barnack	Prob 17th or earlier
The Gordon Arms, Oundle Road	Orton Longueville	Early 17th (part)
Grange Farmhouse, The Village	Orton Longueville	Early 17th
Manor Farmhouse	Maxey	Early 17th
The Willows	Werrington	Early 17th
Winterfold, The Village	Orton Longueville	Prob early 17th
Old Smithy	Castor	Prob early 17th (1676 datestone)
Glinton Manor and Stables	Glinton	1630-1640
Marholm Farmhouse	Marholm	1633
Old Rectory	Thornhaugh	Mid 17th (possibly 1620s according to estate agent listing)
Yew Tree House	Longthorpe	Mid 17th
Thorpe Hall	Peterborough	1653-56
Ivy Cottage	Maxey	1655
Cromwell House	Helpston	1658
The Old Nursery House	Wothorpe	1658
Thorney Abbey House	Thorney	1660
Blue Bell	Dogsthorpe	1665
1103 Lincoln Road (Heading’s Farm/Walton House)	Walton	1668
The Guildhall	Peterborough	1671
Walcot Hall	Near Barnack	1678
Walcot Hall Stables	Near Barnack	1680
Barn End, Cherry Orton Road	Orton Waterville	1682
Ye Olde Corner Shop	Barnack	1684
Model Farmhouse	Upton	1685
1 Lover’s Lane	Sutton	17th
7 Castle End	Maxey	17th
8A and 9 Church Street	Peterborough	17th
14 and 15 Main Street	Barnack	17th
320 Thorpe Road	Longthorpe	17th wing
Apple Acre Cottage	Thornhaugh	17th
Barn, Wothorpe House	Wothorpe	17th
Blue Boar	Eye	17th
Gate House	Barnack	17th
Fitzwilliam Arms	Castor	17th
Littlefield	Barnack	17th (Saxon Window)
Malthouse	Glinton	17th
Manor House	Thornhaugh	17th
Old Rectory	Castor	17th
Pilsgate House	Pilsgate	17th
Rectory Farmhouse, Cherry Orton Road	Orton Waterville	17th
Rose Cottage	Maxey	17th
Workhouse/Almsrooms, Cumbergate	Peterborough	17th
Wothorpe Farmhouse	Wothorpe	17th
19 Graeme Road	Sutton	Late 17th
24 High Street	Maxey	Late 17th
35 South Street	Stanground	Late 17th
51 Priestgate (Old Vicarage)	Peterborough	Late 17th
71, 73 Wharf Road	Woodston	Late 17th
Eyebury Farmhouse and Barn	Near Eye	Late 17th
The Grove Farmhouse	Longthorpe	Late 17th
Nunton House	Near Maxey	Late 17th
Oxney Farmhouse Barn	Oxney	Prob 17th
Walnut House	Ailsworth	Prob 17th
Dovecote to Longthorpe Tower House	Longthorpe	Possibly 17th
Outbuildings to Longthorpe Tower House	Longthorpe	Possibly 17th
8 Station Road	Barnack	17th/18th or earlier
4 Ladds Lane	Maxey	17th/18th
7 High Street	Maxey	17th/18th
11 High Street	Maxey	17th/18th
19 West End Road	Maxey	17th/18th
28 High Street	Maxey	17th/18th
36 High Street	Maxey	17th/18th
Blue Bell Pub	Maxey	17th/18th
Cook’s Hole Farmhouse	Thornhaugh	17th/18th
Green Man	Marholm	17th/18th
House on the Square	Barnack	17th/18th
Lolham Hall Cottages	Maxey	17th/18th
Old Butcher’s Shop	Barnack	17th/18th
The Old Cottage	Barnack	17th/18th
Pasque Cottage	Barnack	17th/18th
Wisteria Farmhouse	Maxey	17th/18th
Chester Cottage	Barnack	17th/early 18th
Westways and Hillside	Pilsgate	17th/early 18th
52 North St	Stanground	Late 17th/early 18th
Longacre Cottage	Maxey	Late 17th/early 18th
Manor House Farmhouse	Stanground	Late 17th/early 18th

Update: three buildings from Longthorpe have been added to the 17th century section

The Oldest Buildings in Peterborough: Part One

Updated. This blogpost started with the destruction of a tree in Peterborough. A 600-year-old oak that would have been part of the ancient woodland of Grimeshaw Wood was chopped down by the council due to a perceived cost of repairing modern houses built too close to the tree. In short, it was cheaper to cut down a 600-year-old habitat than fix a modern house, so the tree had to go.

I was horrified by the decision and knew that should this have been a historic building, the scene would have looked very different indeed. I knew that St John’s church in the middle of Peterborough was built in 1402 and was therefore a similar age. In contrast to the tree being removed, the church benefitted from recent improvements to increase its visibility and the addition of green spaces (there were trees in planters, but they weren’t replaced when they died); the church is also grade I listed. To so carefully  curate a space around an old building is of course a wonderful thing, but to treat a living item of the same age as an annoyance and see only the expense in potential damage (when the church must cost a lot of money to maintain every year) is short-sighted at the very least. The sooner we can apply similar listed status to trees – the current tree protection orders are no better than the paper they’re written on – and respect them with the same integrity we do buildings, the better.

This led me to wonder what other buildings are the same age as the oak and how it fitted into the history of the area, so I set about making a list of the ages of local buildings. I realised very early on that for the task to be manageable I would need to reduce the date parameters for the task, so all of the buildings included in the list are pre-1700. This date ensures that only the oldest buildings are included, and they should (should!) be listed.

One of the issues with creating a list of buildings by date is that many of the buildings are mixtures of dates, having been rebuilt, added to, or adjusted. I therefore had to decide whether the building be dated based on one feature retained in it, or a significant amount of the structure? For example, St Augustine’s Church in Woodston features a Saxon wall and window with a handful of medieval features, but is largely a Victorian rebuild – should that be included?

I decided that for the building to be included it would need to contain a substantial structural element from before 1700. This could be part of the building e.g. a chancel or a hidden core and I would take my lead from the building’s listing. Some of the building dates are therefore supplemented with probably or possibly. That said, I expect the list to change as further information is gained. Buildings can move up or down the list as they are inspected, dendrodated, or researched; some might move onto it and some might fall off it. One of these buildings is Peterborough Museum. The building appears to be Georgian (pre-1816) but the core of the building is potentially older and some of the features in the cellar appear to be medieval. For now, I am leaving it out of the listing, with the understanding that if research, dendro, etc reveals otherwise, then I’ll add it in.

It is absolutely no surprise to anyone that the oldest buildings in the area are churches and ecclesiastic buildings. Centuries of devotion (and money) have ensured their survival and their listed status should (hopefully) support their continued survival. For ease, I have separated out religious and domestic buildings into two lists and this post will focus on religious buildings. The list revealed something I hadn’t appreciated before: the oldest and youngest churches (pre-1700) are both St John the Baptist! Location is key here; the oldest is St John’s Barnack and the youngest is St John’s Peterborough. Saxon elements are an integral part of the structure of St John’s Barnack, which also feature in second place All Saints’ Wittering. Third in the list is St Mary Wansford and fourth is St Mary and St Botolph in Thorney; all four have been used for worship for over a thousand years, which is quite incredible.

Peterborough Cathedral has ended up in 8th place behind three churches built in the Norman period. It is likely that this is the wrong location given that there were ten churches built in the Norman period or 12th century, and it doesn't take into account the first Saxon church on the cathedral site. Further research may help to narrow down the building dates of the churches and I expect the placing of these churches to change. Having a list of buildings means that conversations can be had, and experts can add their voices. It might also encourage people to go out and visit the churches to see what they can discover, for some of them contain research by locals in guidebooks and noticeboards inside the buildings (as well as the fascinating architecture) and that information can help guide the list too.

I’m going to write another blog on the domestic buildings because this is very long, so here’s the list of churches.

Church                                            Location                                        Date

St John the Baptist	Barnack	Saxon 1020
All Saints	Wittering	Saxon (and 12-14th)
St Mary	Wansford	Early Norman
St Mary and St Botolph	Thorney	1085-1108 (1638)
St Botolph	Helpston	Norman
St Kyneburgha	Castor	Norman
St Peter	Maxey	Norman
Cathedral Church of St Peter, St Paul, and St Andrew	Peterborough	1118
St John	Stanground	1150 (and 1300)
St John	Upton	12th (17th)
St Michael	Sutton	12th (15th and 19th)
St Benedict	Glinton	12th
St Pega	Peakirk	12th
St Mary	Marholm	12th and 13th
St Andrew	Northborough	Late 12th /early 13th
St John	Werrington	12th/13th
All Saints	Paston	1220
St Botolph	Longthorpe	1250
St Stephen	Etton	13th
Holy Trinity	Orton Longueville	1275
St Mary	Ufford	Late 13th
St Mary	Orton Wistow	Late 13th
St Margaret	Fletton	1300
St John the Baptist	Peterborough	1402

Note* most of these churches have a range of additions and alterations and straddle many time periods

Update. Having visited St John's Barnack, information inside the church states it dates from 1020. This doesn't change its position as the oldest building in the Peterborough area but it does provide a crucial date that can be compared to other buildings. An upcoming visit to All Saints Wittering may yet change that top position...

The Greatford Hall Fire

 

We are fast approaching the 100^th anniversary of the fire at Greatford Hall, a Tudor manor in Greatford, Lincolnshire. The Greatford Hall estate sits at the west of the village of Greatford, near Bourne. The hall sits in close proximity to the 11^th century church of St Thomas of Canterbury and are both enclosed in the remains of a moat created by the splitting of the West Glen River.

Records state that the hall was early 16^th century (Tudor) but it was destroyed in a fire in 1922. Nearby Uffington House was also lost to such an event in 1904. But whereas Uffington House has been consigned to history, Greatford Hall is still lived in as a home

The hall was supposedly built in 1504 by John Fitzwilliam. The house was built in the characteristic H shape of the era and contained many beautiful features including wood panelling and a mantlepiece carved by John Fitzwilliam himself. It is best known as an insane asylum during the eighteenth century, when it was run by Rev. Dr Francis Willis along with neighbouring Shillingthorpe Hall which was located a couple of miles west of Greatford. Willis was famous for curing King George III and is buried in the neighbouring church.

As for the fire, we are told it started at around 4.30am on Tuesday 5^th September and was first spotted by a London architect who was visiting the house to discuss enlarging it. It started in the east wing and took hold quickly. Major Fitzwilliam and his family, who had only recently bought back the house, were able to escape on account of their rooms being on lower floors, however the servants were sequestered on the uppermost floors found themselves unable to escape the fire. They had no choice but to exit via the windows, some climbing down knotted bedding, one on a ladder, and two jumping. The two jumpers were Eva and Gladys Palmer, a cook and housemaid. They were both badly injured and were conveyed to Stamford Infirmary, one suffering an injury to her back. Fortunately, all of the household managed to escape with their lives that night.

Fire brigades were despatched from Stamford and Bourne, and did all they could to put out the flames, but it was said the house was completely consumed after only 15 minutes. All of the contents were lost, including the furniture, wood panelling, paintings, and everything in the gun room, which went up with a large explosion once the fire reached it! However, they did manage to save some China, which was a minor consolation for the loss. They did have insurance, but apparently for a sum not even close to the £50,000 required to cover the cost of the house and contents. The outer walls of the house to the south were still standing but said to be in such a poor state that they were useless for building with.

However, the story does not stop there. A few weeks later the papers revealed that insurers had been sifting through the ruins for any valuable items that had survived the blaze, specifically jewels that might have survived the intense heat. Thankfully, they discovered a large diamond brooch for their trouble.

Two people were congratulated for their courageous behaviour during the fire, both being presented with money from the Society for the Preservation of Life. Local man Jack Pask (not from Spalding as the papers claimed) whose parents ran the forge and Post Office, used a ladder to gain access to a bedroom where he found an unconscious woman amongst the smoke and flames. He gathered her up and spirited her down the ladder, saving her life. Another servant, Mabel Marsh, managed to escape the fire by shimmying down bedsheets that she had knotted, before running through the village in nothing but her nightdress calling out ‘fire!’ to gain the support of the villagers. In any other times she would have been severely admonished!

Pictures of the fire-ravaged house survive in many of the newspapers, sadly of poor quality, but they do show the remaining walls and provide before and after pictures for context. A picture of the destroyed hall even made it on to the back page of the Daily Mirror!

The house was thankfully rebuilt in 1925. Looking at the house now, it is difficult to believe that it has been rebuilt, the south face of the building looking largely unchanged. The front of the hall visible to the public is an architectural triumph, with improved windows in the two gable ends and two Hardwick Hall-like windows making the most of the views and summer sun. The hall may have been destroyed 100 years ago, but it wasn’t entirely lost, and you can still view the impressive early 16th century façade from the road. There aren’t too many Tudor buildings left in the area, and this is worth taking a look at, along with the other wonderful features of the village, which I will write about in another blog post.

 Acknowledgements:

Enormous thanks to Lynne Loder for supplying additional information on her grandfather Jack Pask via Frank Newbon's History of Stamford Facebook page. A timely reminder that local history is often family history, and we should ensure we record both.

References:

 £50,000 Fire Near Stamford, Lincolnshire Standard and Boston Guardian, 9 September 1922, p.5.

Greatford Hall Destroyed, Grantham Journal, 9 September 1922, p.7.

Maids’ Narrow Escape, Daily Mirror, 7 September 1922, p.16.

Jewels in Ashes, Weekly Dispatch (London), 24 September 1922, p.3.

Daring Fire Rescue, Nottingham Journal, 4 December 1922, p.5.