25. COLESHILL.
(O.S. 6 in. xliii. S.W.)
Secular
(1). Stocks Place (see Plate, p. 30), about
100 yards N. of the Church of All Saints, is a
small rectangular building of two storeys, and
of brick and timber; the roof is tiled. The
house was probably built in the 16th century,
and may have extended originally further
towards the W., as the wall at that end is of
late 17th-century brick. On the S. front and
at the E. end the upper storey is timber-framed
with filling of thin bricks, and probably originally projected, the lower storey being now of
modern brick. Some of the timbers are covered
with cement or tiles. At the back are two projecting chimney stacks, each with a rectangular
shaft, restored.
Condition—Poor; the timbers are decaying
and the W. wall is bulging outwards.
(2). Bowers Farm (see Plate, p. 12), about
½ mile S.E. of the church, is a long rectangular
building of two storeys, probably of late 16th-century date, and faces S.W. The walls are
timber-framed in small panels, with filling
of thin bricks; the roof is tiled. At the S.E.
end the upper storey is carried over a large
gateway, which has been partly blocked by a
small modern addition to the house. The principal chimney stack has four octagonal shafts
with moulded caps and bases; the two middle
shafts have been altered at the back to a square
shape, set diagonally; another stack near the
S.E. end has a plain rectangular shaft. Inside
the house the fireplace in one room has a castiron fire-back, dated 1687, bearing the old arms
of England quartering Scotland and Ireland,
with lion and unicorn supporters. The kitchen
has exposed ceiling-joists and a large open fireplace with chamfered jambs and four-centred
arch, of brick.
In a small building at the W. corner of the
house is a disused well with curious wooden
winding gear of uncertain date. A barn adjoining the house at the S.E. end, and probably
contemporary with it, is of timber, weather-boarded; the plan is L-shaped. The roof is
covered with tiles, and has massive principals
and curved wind-braces.
Condition—Good.
(3). Stocking's Farm, about 1 mile S.E. of
the church, is a two-storeyed building, probably
of late 17th-century date. All the walls are of
2¼ in. bricks, and have moulded courses at the
eaves; the roofs are tiled. The windows have
square frames, and are probably original.
Condition—Good.