John of Gaddesden's House
JOHN OF GADDESDEN'S HOUSE, 29 AND 30
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II*
- List Entry Number:
- 1100427
- Date first listed:
- 14-May-1952
- List Entry Name:
- John of Gaddesden's House
- Statutory Address:
- JOHN OF GADDESDEN'S HOUSE, 29 AND 30
Location
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- Reference:
- IOE01/02974/15
- Rights:
- © Dr Richard Hart. Source: Historic England Archive
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II*
- List Entry Number:
- 1100427
- Date first listed:
- 14-May-1952
- List Entry Name:
- John of Gaddesden's House
- Statutory Address 1:
- JOHN OF GADDESDEN'S HOUSE, 29 AND 30
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- JOHN OF GADDESDEN'S HOUSE, 29 AND 30
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Hertfordshire
- District:
- Dacorum (District Authority)
- Parish:
- Little Gaddesden
- National Grid Reference:
- SP 99292 13401
Details
LITTLE GADDESDEN LITTLE GADDESDEN SP 9913 (East side) 9/188 No. 29/30 (John of 14.5.52 Gaddesden's House)
GV II*
Court house, now a house. Circa 1500, altered to a house and extended in late C17, restored 1898 and used as a village reading room, sold and became a house c.1931, additions to front and N end of a C16 house from Hawstead, Suffolk, and late C17 N wing from Wrestlingworth Manor, Beds, 1948-52 by Frank Jennings architect. 1½ storeys rear extension c.1978. Timber frames on brick sills, exposed close studding on ground floor, panelled radial pattern pargetting to 1st floor boldly jettied on W front. Front wing higher red brick sill and exposed close-studding with plastered panels. Steep old red tile roofs. 3-light flush casement windows with iron opening lights and leaded glazing. A large 2-storeys building facing W with 2-bays upper hall at S richly finished with bold 4ft jetty, and wide arched openings on S and W like original shop windows. Stair on N possible original. N crosswing jettied at W gable possibly contemporary, has higher floor levels and plainer treatment. Gabled dormer in hipped front roof. Large chimney at junction of wings. Front wing is former 2-bay open hall with inserted floor and large internal red brick chimney from N Essex. 2 storeys N wing is painted brick with modillioned eaves cornice and cross windows with leaded glazing. The first-floor hall is unequalled in Herts for the profusion and quality of its ornament (RCHM Typescript) and presumably served a communal purpose such as a Marriage Feast House or a Court House. The connection of the C14 physician John O'Gaddesden with the present building must be spurious. Close studding, moulded arched wind braces, moulded cambered tie-beams with carved knee braces to moulded jowled posts. 2 intermediate trusses in clasped-purlin roof each with cambered collars and solid arched braces with carved spandrels and stub tie-beams with human heads (renewed by Lawrence Tanner in plaster at restoration). Conversion to a house in late C17 involved infilling of wide ground floor openings, inserting large brick stack at N with lobby entrance from W. Raised and fielded panelled ground floor room made by taking in part of a lean-to. 1st floor probably partitioned at central truss. Brick N wing with 1st floor corbelled on 3 moulded courses with a kitchen on ground floor. Transplanted C16 front wing has crown-post roof with 4-way bracing and octagonal post with moulded cap and base, also fine moulded joists and main beam in inserted floor. 4-centre arched chamfered brick fireplace, and diamond mullioned windows. Bolection moulded fire surround on 1st floor of N wing. (RCHM(1911)144 no.5: Pevsner (1977)237: RCHM Typescript: Senar(1983)90-91).
Listing NGR: SP9929213401
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 157719
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Sources
Books and journals
Senar, H, Little Gaddesden and Ashridge, (1983), 90-91
Pevsner, N, Cherry, B, The Buildings of England: Hertfordshire, (1977), 237
Other
Inventory of the Historical Monuments of Hertfordshire, (1910)
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 28-Jun-2026 at 16:43:12.
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