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St Mary's House - a 15th-century open hall
PART OF THE HS2 HISTORIC IMPACT ASSESSMENT PROJECT
St Mary's House was included in the society's
Response to the HS2 Environmental Statement in February 2014.
Click here to read
the section on Twyford.
Five members of BAS carried out a detailed measured survey of the Grade II-listed St Mary's House, which stands to the north of the church
and is, at its nearest point, only 80 metres from the proposed high-speed line. [but see Note below]
At the core of the house is the oak frame of a late medieval open hall. Smoke-blackened timbers show that the hall was once open to the roof and had a central hearth.
But St Mary's House is unusual - because it also incorporates a second hall frame. There is evidence that this was originally built elsewhere, then dismantled and re-erected to add to the existing building.
The particular value of St Mary's House is that changes to the building over five centuries can be traced by examining its structure. For this reason the report recommends that its listing be increased to Grade II* (starred), which will increase its protection as a historic building.
UPDATE - January 2012
Following the conclusion of the government's HS2 Public Consultation, new route maps for HS2 were published in January 2012
showing amendments to the proposed line. At Twyford line has been moved around 120 metres further away from the village, making it
200 metres from St Mary's House.
For full details and recommendations, see:
St Mary's House, Twyford : BAS Report 2011-01 June 2011
Twyford : BAS Response to the HS2 Environmental Statement - February 2014
PHOTO BY PETER MARSDEN