More information : [Name ST 4560 7148] Tickenham Court [T.I.]
[Name ST 4588 7155] Chapel [G.T.] (Remains of) [NAT] (1)
[ST 4577 7149] Tickenham Court. Immediately N. of the church. A complete Hall of c.1400 with a Parlour or Solar wing of c.1500 added to its W. end and turning S. (2)
See AO/62/128/3 for the hall of Tickenham Court from the N.E., and AO/62/128/4 for a photograph of the solar from the S.W. The reference to a chapel appears to be a case of erroneous identification, the hall being confused with a chapel, for which there is no visible evidence. (3)
The owner's wife Mrs. Plant, an architect, states quite definitely that there was never a chapel at Tickenham Court. (4)
Tickenham Court. Grade 2*. (5)
Additonal references. (6-10)
Tickenham Court is included in Domesday as one of two manors within the parish. From 1100-1463 it belonged to a branch of the Berkeley family. The Great Hall is difficult to date; window tracery suggests the 1370s but doorway mouldings appear to be later. The solar wing probably dates from c.1500 or as early as 1450. (See illustration card for plan). (11)
The Manor House at Tickenham Court and its attendant earthwork remains are located on an isolated knoll which is a limestone extrusion projecting in a SW arc from the lower slopes of the S facing Failand Ridge escarpment. Although the summit barely attains a height of 10.0m above OD, the knoll represents a visually dominating location with significant strategic advantages, commanding extensive views over the surrounding Kenn Moor area to the W and S. To the N, the knoll is itself overlooked by the limestone escarpment and specifically by the hillfort of Cadbury Camp, c. 500.0m to the N. This bivallate enclosure, c. 3.0 ha in extent with an elaborate N facing entrance, provided evidence of Iron Age as well as Roman occupation. The history of the extant Manor House at Tickenham Court is well documented. A complete hall of late 15th century date survives as does a Solar wing of c. 1500, added to its W end and turning S. RCHME survey in 1992 identified a number of previously unrecorded earthwork features which are set around the House. The most prominent, and potentially important, of these is the substantial circular, partially embanked, lynchetway which occupies the W end of the knoll. Elsewhere, there are the possible remains of gardens, fields and associated features which suggest that the knoll has seen a high level of past activity. Less than c. 200.0m to the E of the Manor House, excavations by the North Somerset Archaeology Research Group revealed part of a building dating to the 3rd century AD. For further information see archive report. (12)
Farmhouse. A complete hall of c.1400 and parlour/solar wing of c.1500 added to its west end, with some 19th and 20th century alterations, extended to north for farmhouse, probably in 18th century with later alterations. Rubble with limestone dressings, double Roman tiled roof, solar wing pantiled. T-plan. North elevation of hall, two storeys, has two 2-light cusped windows with quatrefoils and hood moulds, 4-centred arched door to left with moulded surround, hood mould and relieving arch, lancet at upper level to left, similar door in moulded surround to right; gable end of hall at left return has blocked upper door, building formerly extended further, with line in upper stonework, raised coped verges, small single storey lean-to. South elevation of hall has two similar upper windows, similar door to right, tall pointed arched moulded opening to left with 20th century plate-glass, wall set back above door to right. East elevation of parlour wing has at ground floor left a straight-headed transomed 4-light window, upper lights ogee, lower lights pointed, all cusped, lower light to right of 20th century plate-glass, hood mould, straight joint to right and 4-centred arched door; at upper level to left of joint, 2-light window with cusped ogee heads and hood mould, possibly formerly bay in angle between hall and parlour; gable end of parlour has large blocked window at ground floor, first floor has large pointed arched opening in hollow-chamfered surround, plate-glass. Rear of parlour (to west) has similar straight-headed transomed window at ground floor right, 2-light 19th century window under eaves with ogee cusped heads and hood mould; external stack to left and similar straight-headed window, lower lights of 20th century, polygonal stair turret to left containing newel stair; to left of stair, first floor has 2 19th century 2-light casements with chamfered mullions and hood mould, ground floor has similar 2-light casement and 20th century French window with 2 cusped stone lights set over and hood mould, single 2-pane light to right. Attached to left, 2-storey farmhouse, taller 2-storey to far left, has 3-light, 2-light and single 20th century light at first floor; east elevation of farmhouse has 20th century casements and 2 gabled 3-light dormers. Interior not accessible at time of survey (April 1985), sources describe roof over hall with collar-beams and arched-braces, roof over parlour wing with collars, arched-braces and 3 tiers of windbraces. Grade 2*. (13) |