The Old Brick House and No. 2 Ford Hill

Details

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 01/10/2012


TL 4321
9/9
22.2.67


LITTLE HADHAM
FORD HILL, Hadham Ford
(south side)
The Old Brick House and No 2 Ford Hill


(Formerly listed as Hollands Close and No 2 Ford Hill)


GV II*


House, now 2 houses, C16 and C17 (almost certainly the buildings
mentioned in deeds in HRO as 'Le Holles' in 1507 and as 'Lee
Holles and all that new created messuage or tenement adjoining'
in 1666, the latter known by name of the brick house in 1725). A
T-plan group facing N, with the upright of the T (No 2 Ford
Hill), a long, C16, one and a half storeys timber frame brick
clad range with steep old red tile gabled roof, 3 small gabled
dormers on the wall plate and a large central chimney one-third
of the way from the W end. Tall, 2 storeys and attic, C17 brick
range (Hollands Close) with gabled old red tile roof at right
angles across E end. Large chimney with 2 tall octagonal shafts
with moulded bases and caps (rear cap missing in photo in VCH of
1914) at junction of wings, with gabled porch to lobby entry by
stack. Plaster and tile modern single storey lean-to on N side
and small 2 storeys weatherboarded modern extension at W rear
corner. Lower range of 3 units with former open hall in middle,
clasped purlin roof, close studded N side wall replaced in C19
brick, and C17 red brick parlour added at W end with chamfered
external plinth offset. Large central chimney and floor inserted
in hall in mid C17. Axial and cross beams have deep ovolo
mouldings. Parlour chimney probably added in C18/C19. Small 2-
light C19 casement windows and plank doors. Tall E part in C17
red brickwork with plinth and projecting band between Ground and
1st storeys. Irregular English bonding. Front has 1 window to
each storey. 3-light wooden casements replace oak mullioned
windows noted by VCH in 1914 and drawn by Buckler c.1834 (HRO).
Lack of arches over openings probably an original arrangement. 2
windows on E side above roof of lean-to. Small vent slot in apex
of front gable partly obscured by a modern shield. Ground floor
one large room with chamfered and stopped axial beam, wide brick
fireplace with depressed 4-centred arch, winding stair in
projection beside chimney, on S, plank doors, entrance from lobby
on N side of stack, and small service room partitioned from rear
part of room marked by chamfer stops on axial beam. Chamber over
has smaller depressed 4-centred brick fireplace with hollowed
spandrels to chamfered jambs in 2 orders. Square sunk panel over
as at Lower Farm, Bury Green. Axial beam chamfered and stopped
as over Ground floor. Separate stair to attic floor. Side
purlin roof. Documented buildings, illustrating clearly three
stages in the transition from open hall house to multi-storey
house, and from timber frame construction to the early use of
brick for houses. (RCHM (1911) 146: VCH (1914) 50: RCHM
Typescript).


Listing NGR: TL4354821597

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

395075

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Doubleday, AH, The Victoria History of the County of Hertford, (1914), 50

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

End of official list entry

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