Details
TL 60 17 HIGH RODING
4/34 Porters Farmhouse
20.2.67
GV I
Manor house, c.1400, altered in C16, now a farmhouse. Timber-framed, plastered,
roof tiled. 2-bay hall with integral storeyed service end to N, contemporary 2-
bay parlour/solar crosswing to S jettied to W. Chimney stack inserted in N bay
of hall, clear of cross-entry, and floor inserted, mid C16. Stair tower in E
angle, C16. External chimney stack on S wall of crosswing, C16. Large dormer
in S bay of hall, and renewed windows elsewhere, c.1600. W elevation, ground
floor, 2 C20 casement windows, front door, large oriel window in crosswing,
mullioned and transomed with ovolo mouldings, 13 fixed lights and one wrought-
iron casement, c.1600. On first floor, oriel in service bay with single carved
bracket and C20 casement window; large oriel dormer with pedimented gable, carved
pendants and C20 casement; oriel window in crosswing with pedimental gable, carved
pendants and C20 casement windows, (reported by RCHM as bearing the repainted
dated 1652, but not now visible). Timber framing partly exposed internally,
close studding with external bracing. Original cross-entry still present, front
and rear doorheads missing. Twin doorways to service rooms with 4-centred
doorheads, blocked but exposed. Doorway in SE corner of hall to parlour, with
4-centred doorhead, complete and in use. Backrest of settle across full width
of S wall of hall, 53cm deep, with band of carved chevrons and concentric circles
all along top edge, a rare survival. Chamfered arch-braces to cambered tiebeam
over hall. All original roofs virtually complete, of crownpost construction.
Cross-quadrate crownposts, each with 4 arch braces, over centre of crosswing
and hall, the latter heavily smoke-blackened, both intact. Collar-purlin over
hall is broken but otherwise uninterrupted, passing close to inserted chimney
stack. Some rafters severed in C16 for inserted stack and inserted dormer,
otherwise complete, with good series of carpenter's assembly marks. Original
patterned daub at both ends of hall, heavily smoke-blackened. More carpenter's
assembly marks on studs at S end of hall, a complete series. Moulded wallposts
and binding joist in crosswing,ogee with quarter-circle. Stop-chamfered beams
first floor. The large oriel window on the ground floor of the crosswing is
complete in all particulars, including a contemporary wrought iron casement
with spring latch on decorated plate, a rare survival. Upper oriel present
structurally but adapted to C20 casements. One inserted ovolo-moulded window in
E of ground floor, one in S of upper floor. Ovolo mouldings with small
concave above and below attached with handmade nails all round ceilings of hall
and crosswing. Octagonal newel post in stair tower, sawn off at top, treads
renewed in original positions, possibly over original treads. Inserted chimney
stack has a ground floor hearth 3.35 metres wide, an exceptional width, reduced
for later fireplace. Upper hearth reported by RCHM to have original moulded
mantel beam.
This manor house of high quality has retained more original medieval features
unchanged than known elsewhere in Essex. It has undergone one series of
alterations in the C16, culminating in a series of ornamental features of c.1600,
which also have survived in remarkably intact condition. It is difficult to
reconcile the repainted date 1652 reported by the RCHM with any major phase of
this building.
The house was reported by the RCHM to be in poor condition c.1920. Since then
it has been kept weathertight but with only very minor alterations. It constitutes
a valuable source of historical information on two periods of domestic architecture
on which the evidence elsewhere is always fragmentary. RCHM 8
Listing NGR: TL6060717009
