Germains

Details

KELVEDON HATCH

TQ59NE KELVEDON HALL LANE 723-1/5/433 (West side) 27/08/52 Germains (Formerly Listed as: BRENTWOOD KELVEDON HALL ROAD, Kelvedon Hatch Germains House)

II

House. Possibly C14, early C15, early C16, C17, C18, C20. Timber-framed, roughcast rendered with some weatherboarding, roof peg-tiled. H-plan, principal range and cross-wings E and W. W cross-wing extends deeply at rear (to N). EXTERIOR: 2 storeys. S front elevation, all windows except one are sashes with glazing bars, 3x4 panes. Frames are C18 with some sashes renewed. Main range, ground floor, 3 windows and C20 doorway to E end with flat hood on shaped brackets and door, C19, 6 flush panels, upper 2 now glazed. Main range first floor, 2 windows set over 2 outer ones below. Cross-wing and gable ends each one ground floor and one first-floor window. W wing inner E face has first-floor window. E wing inner W face has ground floor C20 picture window. Rear, N, elevation - main range has principal lateral stack flanked by projecting cross-wings. Wing to E shows joints indicating reduction (probably one bay). Wing to W has single-storey extension to N with half hipped roof, peg-tiled. Windows C20 casements, irregular spacing. Central range - space between stack and W wing, ground floor one narrow window with top opening and single 2-light metal window of 4x3 panes. Above, first floor, single 2-light casement. E cross-wing lower part weatherboarded - C20 boarded door with decorative ironwork and 2-light casement alongside. First floor, single 3-light casement. W cross-wing extension has lower part weatherboarded and two C20 2-light windows also door with 4 panels, upper 2 glazed. W elevation of W cross-wing - catslide roof to weatherboarded lean-to. Two 4-light casements, each side of deep glazed unit. Also upper and lower C20 casements on recessed wall to N. N extension, lower part weatherboarded and two 2-light casements. E cross-wing, E face, central C18/19 exterior stack - to N weatherboard below and old pargeting of plasterwork above in zigzag pattern. INTERIOR: shows cross-wings differing in styles but both medieval. W one, C15, of 4 bays, originally jettied to S front. Massive joists, 0.23 x 0.15m (9 x 6 inches) flat laid, centre tenon joints. 2 stair traps. First floor stout but small braces to tie-beams, crown post roof, 2 way bracing, no decoration, edge halved and bridled scarf joint in wall plate. S gable tie-beam has internal hollow chamfer. E cross-wing only 3 bays now left, elegant step stop chamfers on principal framing and binding joists. Roof of clasped side purlin form, curved with braces and elegant, solid arched braces fitted against rafters and collars all to appear as one. Part of high end display arched braces on face towards site of medieval hall. Central range rebuilt in elm with face halved and bladed scarfs and raised to 2 storeys with a large lateral fireplace at rear of central room with bricks and mortar of C17 type although exterior brickwork now all C18 with burnt headers and tumbled shoulders. Roof of joggled, butted side purlin type - heavy side purlins but common rafters of uniform scantling, sooted and with many skewed side lap joints (no mortice and tenons). These must be from an earlier medieval open hall on site, perhaps as early as the C14. Hall provided with a lateral fireplace in the C17 and raised either then or in the C18 when the present window frames were fitted. E cross-wing principal roof trusses have centre section cut out to leave space to walk through. Some vertical members inserted to stabilise cut trusses are sooted rafters from old hall. As centre roof and cross-wings are at exactly the same level it is most likely that the raising of the hall area to 2 storeys did not occur until the C18 when all the work was done at one time, enabling spare old sooted rafters to be used for various jobs. Although no standing evidence of the medieval hall survives, the high (E) and low (W) wings retain their original status as solar and service. RCHM notes that the house has a fragmentary moat. Morant traces the ownership from 1372 to 1751. (RCHM: Central and SW Essex : Monument 3: 142; Morant P: The History and Antiquities of the County of Essex: 1768-: 185).

Listing NGR: TQ5580199223

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

373713

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
An Inventory of Essex Central and South West, (1921), 142
Morant, P, The History and Antiquities of the County of Essex, (1768), 185

End of official list entry

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