Wedhampton is a hamlet of around 50 houses in the parish of Urchfont characterised by the quality of its historic buildings, and its architectural diversity. Manor Farm has until recently been a working farmyard with no buildings on the site of any architectural merit.

George Saumarez Smith from Robert Adam Architects was commissioned to draw up a proposal for a new, high quality two-storey house with an attached single-storey service wing that strongly relates to the original spirit of Palladian farmhouse villas. The new house will enhance the character and appearance of the locality through the replacement of a range of redundant utilitarian buildings.

The main block is to be built in natural stone and lime render with a pantile roof, and the service wing in is to be in red brick with a slate roof. The entrance front is intended to be simple and understated according to the prevailing vernacular character of the village. The central three bays are recessed with arched openings on the bottom storey to create an enclosed entrance portico or loggia. The east front, which faces the garden and out towards the landscape beyond, is more obviously architectural, employing the Doric order on the central portico. This closely follows the order illustrated in Palladio’s Quattro Libri dell’Architettura, with simplified imposts and archivolts to produce a more countrified effect.

The proposal aims to demonstrate best practice in energy conservation and in the use of sustainable, locally-sourced materials. It will furthermore seek to promote traditional building craftsmanship, and local building skills will be employed wherever possible.