Duck Lake House

 

One of the oldest houses in Ashwell is Duck Lake or as it used to be called Doke Lake.  It is situated at the east end of the village down the lane following the course of the Rhee and near the old Mill.  The main part of the house dates back to the 14th Century at least.

The old farm house was renovated by Mrs Fordham in 1928.  When a window was being put in the S.E. wall interesting mural paintings were found under the plaster on what was then the end of the house.

These consist of a pattern imitating damask of which Katherine of Aragon’s pomegranate emblem is a feature, outlined in black and coloured green, red and light brown with figures of mermen and mermaids in the upper section.  The house was probably enlarged with side-wings in the 16th Century.  The northern still remains, and the southern containing a painted parlor was at some time removed leaving a fresco on what then became an outer wall and was plastered over.

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