Gatehouse Range at Hadham Hall 60 Metres West of Hall

Details

TL 4522 LITTLE HADHAM STORTFORD ROAD (north side)

11/2 Gatehouse Range at Hadham Hall 22.2.67 60 metres W of Hall

GV II*

Gatehouse range. Early C16 for the Capel family incorporating a C15 brick building presumably built for the Baud family. 2 storeys red brick range facing S with central gateway to entrance court. Incorporated as lower part of E half is a thick-walled rectangular brick building with black brick diaper work on its S face and an upright narrow window slot, with wide reveal on inside, in its W wall, now visible in the staircase. Upper part C16, without diaper, and steep pitched old red tile roof hipped at E end and now extended over gateway which was probably carried up as a tower. Large 4-centred brick arches in S and N walls, S side more elaborate with diaperwork over and arch of 3 chamfered orders with black headers alternate in outer arch ring and chamfered plinth extending 2 metres each side. Wide staircase with solid oak treads rises on E side of carriageway, entered by a square headed chamfered doorway on the N. Small 4-centred arched window on S lights space under stair. Garderobe shaft with external arched cleaning hole at NW angle of gateway. Carriageway spanned by wide chamfered and stopped beams similar to those over lofty Ground floor of W half of range which is a narrower and higher C16, thick walled brick building, contemporary with the gateway, and with a spacious arched doorway into the W side of the carriageway. Red brick walls with diaperwork on S face which has 2 square headed windows with chamfered brick surrounds on each floor, not above one another, and square headed, double-width, doorway in centre. Heavy oak frames, with diamond oak mullions surviving on lowerfloor and mortices above, and outer rebate. Blocked central doorway on N and 1 1st floor window with chamfered surround. Steep old red tile roof with plastered gable at E and gable parapet with tumbled brickwork on W. The long upper chambers over the 2 halves of the range have similar fine collar purlin, crown post roofs. These are carefully finished with chamfered members and use short 'crown posts' carried on arched-braced collar trusses for intermediate bays and undecorated full crown posts at ends, braced to collar purlin. At W end, a deeply chamfered and stopped, cambered tie beam carries crown post. Rafters and collars are lap-jointed and arched braces run through an oak corbel at wall plate level. Massive cross beams, chamfered and stopped have been inserted to carry a ceiling over the E half emphasising the non-agricultural origin of this early brick range, probably in use as lodgings or more regular domestic use up to c.1668 when the Earls of Essex moved their seat to Cassiobury and Hadham Hall became a farm. (RCHM (1911) 146: VCH (1914) 49: Pevsner (1977) 240: RCHM Typescript).

Listing NGR: TL4517822766

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

395674

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Doubleday, AH, The Victoria History of the County of Hertford, (1914), 49
Pevsner, N, Cherry, B, The Buildings of England: Hertfordshire, (1977), 240

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

End of official list entry

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