Building MPM1871 - Widley Court, Cosham

Large c. mid-19th century detached house. A square crenelated extension was added to the rear of the property between 1898 and 1910. Previously known as Hartington Lodge and Parkstone House, renamed Widley Court c1910.

Large c. mid-19th century detached house in yellow brick with red brick diamond decoration. The house is not marked on the Widley Tithe Map of 1840 [1], but is recorded on the 1870 Ordnance Survey map as 'Hartington Lodge', giving a construction date of 1840-1870 [2]. The name had been changed to Parkstone House by 1898 and finally became Widley Court by 1910 [3, 4]. The square crenelated extension on the rear southwest corner of the property was added sometime between 1898 and 1910, and appears to have replaced an earlier conservatory/glasshouse. A small glass extension, probably a conservatory, is shown on the southeast corner of the rear of the house from 1910 onwards [4, 5].

Outbuildings are shown on late-19th and 20th century Ordnance Survey maps to the north/northeast of the house [3, 4]. An advert for the sale of the property in 1912 records it as having 12 reception and bedrooms, a gun room, bathroom, conservatory etc. two acres of grounds including tennis and croquet lawns, an orchard, flower and walled-in vegetable garden, motor-house, stabling, kennels and glasshouses etc [6].

An article which appeared in the Portsmouth Evening News in 1952 stated the house was 100 years old, which would give a construction date of c1852 [7].

<1> Howard, Henry, 1840, Widley Tithe Map (Cartographic materials). SPM505.

<2> Ordnance Survey, 1870, Ordnance Survey Map 1870 (Map). SPM282.

<3> Ordnance Survey, 1898, Ordnance Survey Map 1898 (Map). SPM265.

<4> Ordnance Survey, 1910, Ordnance Survey Map 1910 (Map). SPM266.

<5> Ordnance Survey, 1952, Ordnance Survey Map 1952 (Map). SPM67.

<6> Portsmouth Evening News, 1912, Portsmouth Evening News (Bibliographic reference). SPM500.

<7> Portsmouth Evening News, 1952, Portsmouth Evening News (Bibliographic reference). SPM501.