Chells Manor

Details

TL 22 NE ASTON CHELLS LANE (north side)

1/17 Chells Manor (formerly listed under 24.11.66 general) - II*

Manor house, now house and office. Late C14 or early C15 for the Wake family (VCH (1912) 144). Wings added to heightened open hall house in C16 and Cl7. Altered in C19 and C20. Timber frame on red brick sill. Roughcast on front (S) and W, but frame exposed with large square panels at rear and E. Steep old red tile roofs and red brick chimneys. A large H-plan, 2-storeys house facing S. One and a half storeys Cl7 service wing to N of W wing, roughcast but C18 red and black brick N gable with C19 projecting gable chimney. Cross-passage at W end of hall behind inserted chimney, possibly replacing a timber framed hood in late Cl9. 3-bay E wing has stair in narrower middle bay and double jettied S gable has heavy corner brackets and double roll moulding on bressumer. Double jettied, 3-bay, 2-storeys and cellar, W crosswing slightly later, without brackets or bressumer moulding, has similar narrower middle bay for a stair and chamfered 1st floor doorway into upper floor over hall range which by then must have been heightened and floored. Ovolo moulded mullioned windows blocked in E side walls of W wing date it to early Cl7. Large entrance doorway in E wall (blocked). 2- bay service wing extending to N has a tall diamond mullioned W window (altered and part blocked) and was originally open to the roof. Entrance and passage moved to E end of hall and E wing provided with new stair and new main entrance from E in early C19. S entrance returned to old position and one at other end of hall blocked in C20, with passage thrown into SE room. Imposing S front with gabled wings jettied at 1st floor and attic levels, and tall red brick panelled chimney rising through front slope of roof of hall range near the W end. One window to W wing on each floor and one over door into passage to W of chimney. Window to hall and chamber over. 3-light mullioned flush windows with leaded glazing and iron opening lights (2-light over porch). Single flush box sash window to ground floor of E wing with 6/6 panes, to left of a central C19 painted brick S gable chimney rising externally to disappear into the 1st floor jetty. 4 steps to half-glazed panelled door under steep gabled hood on heavy cut brackets. Formal 3 windows E front has flush box sash windows with 8/8 panes and 6-panel middle door offset to N in heavy frame with rectangular fanlight under a trellis porch with tented metal roof. U-shaped rear elevation. Old Cl7 oak door to cross- passage with ovolo chamfered battens and cut-in bullion light and flat hood on shaped brackets. Casement windows and blocked windows in wings. 2 casement windows to each floor on W. Interior has brick paving in cross-passage and in cellar under parlour at SW corner. Blocked doorway from passage into W stair bay now with 2-light ogee moulded mullioned window with leaded glazing, inserted. 2 chamfered but unstopped axial beams support hall floor and early C20 Arts and Crafts inglenook in oak with pewter plaques among tiles of fire surround. Similar artworkers escutcheons and finger plates on doors elsewhere in house. Exposed timberwork in upper floor of W wing appears as close studding with straight tension braces. Clasped-purlin roofs. Face-halved bladed scarf joint in E wallplate of W wing. 2-panel doors with H hinges on 1st floor. Massive tie-beam over hall (cut) just above level of window sill. (RCHM (1911) 214: RCHM Typescript).

Listing NGR: TL2667025295

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

159567

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Other
Inventory of the Historical Monuments of Hertfordshire, (1910)

End of official list entry

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