Oxenford Grange, Peper Harow

The Gate House The Gate House, the barn and associated structures, plus the house make a lovely group of buildings. In 1842 Pugin designed and Myers built the Gate House it is a substantial building with accomodation above it. There is a turret with a weather vane and a huge arched gateway with stone lions heads either side. On the inner boss of the arch is carved Lord Midleton's coat of arms and on the outer boss is carved an ox crossing a ford, hence Oxenford.

The Barn The barn is so attractive and to find it in its original use is really gratifying. It is large, sturdy and smelling wonderfully of hay, with its lofty roof structure huge barn doors and cows mooing in the yard it felt truly right. Pugin's theory of 'natural architecture':'In matters of ordinary use a man must go out of his way to make a bad thing.'