York Historic Environment Record

House, now officers mess. 1899. By Walter Brierley. Brown brick with red brick quions and orange brick window surrounds, ashlar coped gables with plain kneelers and 4 tall plain stacks. Graduated Westmorland slate roof. Chamfered brick plinth. 2 storey plus attic. Street front has symmetrical 5 window facade with slightly projecting central bay. Central projecting porch has square Tuscan Doric columns supporting segmental arched hood in the form of an open pediment, panel door with overlight and brick head with 3 ashlar keystones. Set back either side single side light windows. Above canted bay window cross casements, pilasters and domes roof, above again 4-light dormer window. Either side single 18-pane sashes with 12-pane sashes above, above again single brick gables with 4-light casement windows. Outer bays each have 2 storey canted bay windows with coped parapets and three 18-pane windows on the ground floor and three 12-pane sashes above. INTERIOR retains many original features including mainstaircase with turned balusters and back stair with stick balusters. Ground floor rooms have original doors door surrounds, fireplaces, alcoves and coving. Upper floors retain original doors and some fireplaces.
Listing NGR: SE6080849951

Derived from English Heritage LB download dated: 22/08/2005

The 1901 census shows the head of the household was Mary Anne Wilberforce, who had seven daughters and one son, Harold, living at home. Four female servants were living under the same roof in 1901.

However, by the 1970s, the house had been acquired by the Ministry of Defence and incorporated into Imphal Barracks as an officers’ mess. As a consequence, the house was adapted to military
use, with a large single-storey extension being constructed to the north and west of the building to house a mess, bar, kitchen, and offices. To incorporate the extension, the land north of the house was also acquired, removing it from the landholding of Danesmead, and part of the house grounds’ northern boundary wall was removed; resulting in the site footprint as existing. A simple range of concrete garage buildings at the northern edge of the site, a tennis court, and hardstanding
for car parking were also constructed as part of the site’s acquisition.

Lanpro, 2021, Ousefield Heritage Statement (Unpublished document). SYO2826.