Home
Listing
Search the List

Enrich the List

Apply for Listing

What is Listing?

Listing Guidance
Listing

Find out about listed buildings and other protected sites, and search the National Heritage List for England (NHLE).

Find out more

Grade II listed Sandford Parks Lido, Cheltenham. Read the list entry © Historic England (DP195150)
Advice
Advice Finder

Heritage at Risk

Your Home

Technical Guidance

Planning

Caring for Heritage

Constructive Conservation

Heritage Protection Guide

Coronavirus Support & Advice
Advice

See our extensive range of expert advice to help you care for and protect historic places.

Get our advice

Conserving the Fog Battery Station on Lundy Island.
Research
Our Research Strategy and Agenda

Research Methods

Current Research

Research Results

Support & Collaboration

Inclusive Heritage

Latest Research

Heritage Counts
Research

Discover and use our high-quality applied research to support the protection and management of the historic environment.

Discover our research

Testing vertical aerial photography methods at British Camp on the Malvern Hills. Read about our latest aerial investigation methods © Historic England Archive. (S3282_V_0651)
Images & Books
Find Photos

Search All Publications

Buy Books

The Historic England Archive
Images & Books

Historic England holds an extensive range of publications and historic collections in its public archive covering the historic environment.

Browse our collections

Women outside the 3000th Easiform dwelling to be completed in Bristol, watching the opening ceremony through a ground floor window as a policeman guards the entrance nearby © Historic England Archive. John Laing Collection JLP01/08/007475
Services & Skills
Education

Grants

Our Planning Services

Training & Skills

Archive Services

Heritage Action Zones
Services & Skills

Find out about services offered by Historic England for funding, planning, education and research, as well as training and skill development.

Learn about our services

New Heritage Partnership Agreement Signed at King's Cross Station © Historic England
Get Involved
High Street Culture

Everyday Heritage

Support Us

Volunteer in Heritage

Protect Your Heritage

Visit Your Heritage

Help Write History
Get Involved

Explore the many ways you can help to support the incredibly rich and varied heritage.

Get involved in heritage

Brixton Windmill - Friends of Brixton Windmill. Shortlisted for ‘Best Rescue of an Industrial Building or Site’ Angel Award in 2012 © Historic England
What's New
News

In Your Area

Historic England Blog

Latest Research

Heritage Online Debate

Statements

Stay up to Date

Coronavirus Support & Advice
What's New

Read about our current news, projects and campaigns nationally and in your area.

Catch up with what's new

Michaela Strivens: Upside down world, Wallington, London Suburbs
Sign in
Manage my account

Sign out

THE BELL PUBLIC HOUSE

THE BELL PUBLIC HOUSE, 4, TOWN LANE

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

Overview

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II*
List Entry Number:: 1101413
Date first listed:: 20-Oct-1952
Statutory Address:: THE BELL PUBLIC HOUSE, 4, TOWN LANE

Enrich the List. Be the first to add a photo and help showcase this place to others.

Upload a photo

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.

Explore our highlights of captivating historic sites listed in 2021

The list includes:

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:: 25 Apr 2006
Reference:: IOE01/15490/31
Rights:: © Mr A. Gude. Source: Historic England Archive

Historic England Archive

Search over 1 million photographs and drawings from the 1850s to the present day using our images archive.

Find Photos

Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II*
List Entry Number:: 1101413
Date first listed:: 20-Oct-1952
Statutory Address 1:: THE BELL PUBLIC HOUSE, 4, TOWN LANE

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

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

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:: THE BELL PUBLIC HOUSE, 4, TOWN LANE

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

County:: Hertfordshire
District:: East Hertfordshire (District Authority)
Parish:: Benington
National Grid Reference:: TL 29927 23569

Details

TL 2923 BENINGTON TOWN LANE (south side)

11/22 No 4 (The Bell PH)

20.10.52

GV II*

House, already an inn by 1693, now a PH. Late medieval hall house with long W wing, hall rebuilt in mid Cl7 as 2 storeys with central chimney and jettied E crosswing. Altered in mid C19. Timber frame with basketwork panelled pargetting and weatherboarded apron. Steep old red tile roofs hipped with gablet at E end. 2 storeys range facing N with central chimney backing onto cross passage at W end with twin service doors (one retains 4-centred arched head) into 2 storeys W crosswing, jettied to N and with large external lateral chimney on N servicing large N room formerly separated by a passage from S room. Cl7 E wing less deep with space for stair behind front room. Lean-to rear extensions. Assymetrical N front with one window to upper floor of each gabled and jettied crosswing and one to centre. 3 windows to ground floor with door to cross passage in the angle with the W wing (6 panel: 2 flush, 2 sunk, 2 glazed) under flat hood on shaped brackets, and more recent central door to public bar (2 panels and half-glazed above) with similar hood. C19 2-light and 3-light flush casement windows with small panes on ground floor, except 6-light range to W wing with flap-down external shutter. Heavy bull-nosed joists and corner brackets to each jetty, exposed purlin ends to clasped purlin roofs. Tall T-plan red brick central chimney a third from W gable of hall range. 4-light ovolo-moulded Cl7 window on E end. Interior has large open fireplace in hall with a wall painting cl?20 over of a stag hunt in a wooded undulating landscape with mounted hunters and hounds. Ovolo moulded axial beam supported by chimney. Heavy, flat-laid exposed joists in NW room. Large early C18 corner cupboard in NE room with fielded and panelled doors. Cl7 staircase and exposed timber structure on 1st floor. Doors with strap hinges on hooks. Wide floorboards. Of special interest for ancient structure and c1720 wall painting. (RCHM Typescript)

Listing NGR: TL2992723569

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:: 159621
Legacy System:: LBS

Legal

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.