Thistles Wenhams Cottages

Details

TQ 64 NW CAPEL WHETSTEAD ROAD, FIVE OAK GREEN

1/314 Nos 1 (Thistles) and 2 Wenhams 20.10.54 Cottages (formerly listed as Moat Farm Cottages) II*

2 cottages, formerly a farmhouse. Dated circa 1436 by dendrochronological analysis, with C16 and C17 improvements, some alterations in the late C19 when the house was divided, both cottages modernised circa 1980. Timber-framed, ground floor underbuilt with C19 and C20 brick, above first floor level the frame is clad with painted weatherboards; brick stack and staggered chimneyshaft; peg-tile roof.

Plan and Development: Originally a medieval hall house with a 3-room plan facing south east. At the left (south west) end is the inner room end with solar/master chamber above and jettied at the end. Next to it a 2-bay hall, originally open to the roof and heated by an open hearth fire. There was probably a through passage at the right end. The right end room was the service end and was also storeyed from the beginning and it too may have been jettied at the end. Some time in the C16 a timber-framed axial stack was built into the hall backing onto the site of the passage but this was replaced by the present brick stack in the early C17 and the hall was floored at the same time,. The passage and service room end was rebuilt at ground floor level in the late C19 when the internal partitions were removed and a fireplace built backing onto the C17 stack. This was probably associated with the division of the house into 2 cottages. No 1 occupies the C19 room on the site of the original passage and service room whilst No 2 occupies the former hall and inner room end.

House is 2 storeys with various circa 1960 and circa 1980 single storey extensions to rear and a lean-to outshot on the right end.

Exterior: Irregular 4-window front of C20 casements with no glazing bars. Both cottages have front doorways towards each front end and both contain C19 doors, the right one (No 1) behind a C20 gabled porch. The large post in the centre of the front wall is the medieval wall post for the crown post truss. First floor jetty at the left end carried on large joists. Roof is very tall and steeply pitched and is hipped both ends; to right it is carried down over the C20 kitchen there.

Interior: Shows that the structure of the late medieval hall house is well- preserved. Some of the framing is exposed at first floor level and can be seen most complete on the right (north east) end wall from inside the outshot roof; it is 2 large bays with curving tension braces to the corner posts lapping over the fronts of the studs and it includes a blocked 2-light window divided by the central post. The crosswall at the upper end of the hall (in No 2) is well-preserved although plastered over at ground floor level. cn the hall side there is a dais rail just below first floor level; it is richly- moulded with mostly beads and hollow chamfers with a crest of pierced brattishing. At first floor level large curving tension braces to the central post and above the tie-beam the crown post has curving down braces. Similar crosswall in No 1 originally at the lower end of the hall but it has been demolished at ground floor level and underpinned by a C19 crossbeam. At the left end (in No 2) the inner room ceiling is carried on close-set plain joists of heavy scantling oversailing the end wall to carry the solar jetty. Mortises along the underside of one of the joists suggest that the inner room was originally divided into 2 small rooms. Present stairs in the inner room at the front end and appear to be occupying the site of the original stairs.

In the hall (No 2), axial crossbeam is chamfered with scroll-stops and large brick fireplace with chamfered oak lintel with runout stops. Medieval roof is essentially intact. 2 bays between the closed trusses each end. Central truss has cambered tie beams set normal assembly fashion on large wall posts with jowled heads. Large chamfered arch-braces descend well below first floor level. On top an octagonal crown post with moudled cap and base and 4-way bracing. Common rafter couples with notched lap-jointed collars. Hall roof is heavily smoke-blackened from the original open hearth fire. The structure continues past the stack into No 1 and around the stack there is evidence of the C16 timber-framed stack. The hipped roofs each end are essentially original and are not smoke-blackened.

Nos 1 and 2 Wenhams Cottages are built in the well-preserved remains of a medieval hall house.

A RCHM survey was carried out as a result of this listing survey. It includes plans, elevations and details. Associated dendrochronological analysis by Nottingham University Tree Ring Dating Laboratory.

Listing NGR: TQ6479545550

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

437521

Legacy System:

LBS

End of official list entry

All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.