Gaddesden Hall

GADDESDEN HALL, LEIGHTON BUZZARD ROAD (A4146)

Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places

Explore this list entry

Overview

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
II*
List Entry Number:
1101228
Date first listed:
22-Oct-1952
List Entry Name:
Gaddesden Hall
Statutory Address:
GADDESDEN HALL, LEIGHTON BUZZARD ROAD (A4146)

Have you got a photo to share?

Join the Missing Pieces Project. We want you to share your photos and memories.

Location

Location of this list entry and nearby places that are also listed. Use our map search to find more listed places. 

There is a problem

Use of this mapping is subject to terms and conditions .

This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale.

What is the National Heritage List for England?

The National Heritage List for England is a unique register of our country's most significant historic buildings and sites. The places on the list are protected by law and most are not open to the public.

The list includes:

Icon Buildings
Icon Scheduled monuments
Icon Parks and gardens
Icon Battlefields
Icon Shipwrecks

Find out more about listing

Images of England Project

To view this image please use Firefox, Chrome, Safari, or Edge.
Archive image, may not represent current condition of site.
Date:
2004-07-04
Reference:
IOE01/12399/18
Rights:
© Mr Anthony Sidell. Source: Historic England Archive

Local Heritage Hub

Unlock and explore hidden histories, aerial photography, and listed buildings and places for every county, district, city and major town across England.

Discover more

Official list entry

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
II*
List Entry Number:
1101228
Date first listed:
22-Oct-1952
List Entry Name:
Gaddesden Hall
Statutory Address 1:
GADDESDEN HALL, LEIGHTON BUZZARD ROAD (A4146)

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.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

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.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:
GADDESDEN HALL, LEIGHTON BUZZARD ROAD (A4146)

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

County:
Hertfordshire
District:
Dacorum (District Authority)
Parish:
Great Gaddesden
National Grid Reference:
TL 04304 09597

Details

GREAfGADDESDEN LEIGHTON BUZZARD ROAD(A4146) TL 00 NW (West side) Water End 5/112 Gaddesden Hall 22.10.52

- II*

Manor house. S wing has late medieval crosswing and hall range rebuilt in last quarter of C16 with flint walling, large rear chimneys and stair tower, probably for Martha Jermyn. Attic storey created and stair heightened in late C17, porch removed and crosswing altered for new entrance in C20. E wing a separate hall and crosswing house in C17 when hall floored over, brick cased and extended to N in C20. Originally all timber framed but now S wing of uncoursed flint with brick dressings, and E wing cased in C20 red brick. Steep old red tile roofs. A large, irregular L-shaped house facing N, with 2-storeys and attics S range entered by lower gabled E crosswing. Adjoining E range has small gable marking the former hall and N crosswing adjoining E side of crosswing of S range. The gabled C20 N end of the E range has a window on each floor and a 3-shafts external chimney. 2 2-light casement windows to each floor of S range, on the ground floor deeper with transoms. Battened door up 3 steps with side lights, label, and window over. Tall 2-shafts chimney on front wall to RH of door. 2-storeys gabled porch formerly at RH end of N front of S range shown on Buckler dwg of 1832 in HRO. Large C16 chimney stack projects from rear of S range with 3 diagonally set square shafts and plinth course which continues round stair tower projecting to E of it with corbelled course marking its original height and gabled top part added in C17 with 2 similar chimney shafts in its E wall serving the crosswing. Interior has timber framing exposed in E wing, chamfered beams, and fine 4-centred arched stone moulded C16 fireplaces in S range hall, and more elaborate with vine-scroll spandrels and roll-mouldings in S range parlour. Early C18 panelled entrance hall with fielded panels and corner fireplace. E wing has double-ovolo moulded ceiling beam, serpentine splat balustrade to staircase, and evidence of heightening. Main roof of 3-bays with clasped purlins and convex-curved wind-braces. This was the manor-house of the manor of Southall (a sub-manor of Great Gaddesden) first recorded in 1200. Originally called Southall, then Oliver's Place after Robert Oliver who held it in 1448, but Gaddesden Hall since C17. A farmhouse up to 1914. (VCH (1908)203-4: RCHM (1911)101: Pevsner (1977)151: Bryant (1982) I, 5-6: RCHM Typescript).

Listing NGR: TL0430409597

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:
157891
Legacy System:
LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Doubleday, AH, The Victoria History of the County of Hertford, (1908), 203-4
Pevsner, N, Cherry, B, The Buildings of England: Hertfordshire, (1977)

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.

Ordnance survey map of Gaddesden Hall

Map

This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 06-Jun-2026 at 21:34:55.

Download a full scale map (PDF)
© Crown copyright [and database rights] 2026. OS AC0000815036. Use of this mapping is subject to Terms and Conditions.

End of official list entry

All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.

Previous Overview
Next Comments and Photos