Park Farmhouse

Details

DODDINGHURST

TQ59NE DAYS LANE 723-1/5/319 (East side) 27/08/52 Park Farmhouse (Formerly Listed as: BRENTWOOD DAYS LANE, Doddinghurst Park Farmhouse)

II

House. c1400, early C17, c1700 and C20. Timber-framed, weatherboarded, rendered and colour washed, peg-tiled roof, half-hipped at W. L-plan. 2 storeys. Irregular facade as present front was originally the back. C20 replacement of all windows with wooden casements, most with single median glazing bars. Main range, ground floor 2-light window and C20 glazed French doors, first floor one 2-light, one 3-light and one small 2-light windows. Cross-wing has C20 large lean-to porch to W side with C20 boarded front door on W face with full length side light. S gable end of cross-wing has one small 2-light window and 2 full sized 2-light windows, first floor has one large 3-light window. Outshut to E of cross-wing has one 2-light window. INTERIOR comprises (1) 2 bay cross-wing of early hall house c1400. One ogee head of service door and seating for second one. Jetty to N (now rear of house), jetty posts and brackets unusually from single pieces of wood. Evidence of curved tension bracing to original jetty, doubled in gable. Jetty joists laid flat, original and lodged over binding joist. Rear joists possibly renewed. Ground-floor front wall now directly under original overhang and containing diamond mullion holes and shutter groove for window - possibly original wall cut free and moved out to present position. Small mullioned window also at N end of E side wall. Large peg holes in studs possible site of weaver's warping frame. First floor, shutter grooves and mullion holes for a double window over jetty. Small braces to centre cambered tie-beam to allow head room. Burn marks from candles and rush lights in rear bay. Roof simple collar rafter type, hipped at S end, no crown posts or side purlins. Collars barefaced dovetailed to rafters and pegs with facetted heads. W exterior face of cross-wing (towards hall) has heavy sooting from open fire of original medieval hall, now gone. Sooting invades cross-wing rafters, some reset, one with evidence of double collar and mortice for bonnet of a smoke gablet. (2) Main range, mid-C16 replacement of old hall with 2-cell, 2-storeyed block. Central room with flat laid ceiling joists with reduced soffit tenons. Bridging joist and common joists with unusual stop on chamfers, step type with a sweep back at the outer edges. Chimney bay wider than later inserted brick stack, bridging joist with some sooting, and infilling joists secondary - possibly smoke void and/or site of timber chimney. High end cross wall of central room, chiselled Roman numerals, petal shaped scratched design and traces of red painting on studs. Doorway through partition original. NW corner of room has large peg holes in studs - warping frame?. First floor primary bracing of walls is possibly later rebuilding. Face halved and bladed scarf joint in wall plate. Evidence of mullioned windows on each side of both rooms. Chiselled Roman numerals on partition wall studding. Roof of queen post, clasped side purlin type with wind braces but many rafters reset and sooted with disused collar joints (like cross-wing). Also side purlins made from old top plates with rafter seatings, one with small rectangular mortices for the mullions of a large medieval window. Apparently, in rebuilding, the old hall timbers were reused in new work where not visible from below. One rafter could be from a timber chimney, several minor joints and recesses to take wattle work. (3) Early C17, insertion of stack into chimney bay with brick walling built round service door head on hall side leaving rear of door head exposed. Back to back fireplaces on ground floor, cross-wing one with 2 flues, and single fireplace facing later block on first floor. All fireplaces have timber lintels. Cruciform chimney, 4 shafts, red brick, mixed bond. Cross-wing extended by one bay to rear in timber-framing with floor of upper storey of deep sectioned joists with diminished haunched soffit tenons (common joists now removed). (4) c1700 lean-to timber-framed extension to E of cross-wing with rudimentary framing. The house has part of a rectangular moat surrounding it. (RCHM: Central and SW Essex : Monument 6: 57).

Listing NGR: TQ5940098154

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

373605

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
An Inventory of Essex Central and South West, (1921), 57

End of official list entry

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