Details
HERTFORD
TL3212SW WEST STREET
817-1/19/257 (South side)
10/02/50 No.37A, B, C and D (Bridgeman House)
(Formerly Listed as:
WEST STREET
Nos.37B AND 37C
Bridgeman House)
GV II*
House, now extended and subdivided as 4 dwellings. 1649 with
C18 extensions, C19 alterations and extensions. Brick, now
colourwashed, English bond, C19 extensions in yellow-brown
stock brick, Flemish bond. Hipped and gabled old tiled roofs,
C19 extensions with Welsh slated roofs. Central chimneystack,
brick, now rendered, has arched panels, with projecting impost
blocks, surrounds on each side below cornice band. Remaining
stacks in yellow brick with terracotta pots.
PLAN: original house two room lobby entry plan, with hall
kitchen and parlour, with 1 bay service room with subsidiary
fireplace on left (east) added early C18; building further
extended and subdivided mid/late C19.
EXTERIOR: 2 storeys and attics over basement. 7-bay front,
arcaded, with tall, slender pilasters, projecting impost band,
semicircular heads except to bays 2 and 6, all with projecting
keyblocks below band and moulded cornice. First floor has
three C19 wood casements with glazing bars in pattern of
3:2:3, repeated in casements in wings. Central casement, above
porch and door, smaller in scale. Ground floor has casements
in bays 2 and 6. Moulded brick plinth at base of arcaded
recesses. Central projecting square plan wooden porch
supported by 4 Tuscan columns on tall plinths which form
balustraded sides and have fitted settles.
Strapwork-ornamented blocks above columns, and carved arcade
brackets with pediments, fascia and moulded cornice; porch has
two stone steps, stone threshold, and black and red tiled
floor. Door recessed within segmental arch, with shallow stone
threshold; panelled door, now cut into 2 leaves, upper panel
recessed with inner oval, and carved strapwork key and impost
ornament, square middle panel with inner recessed square and
'L' surrounds, narrow recessed bottom panel, all panel
surrounds moulded, moulded architrave surround to door. Ledged
and battened construction within. Roof with box dormers in
front slope.
Recessed double gabled 2-storey wing at left (east) (37A) has
4 casement windows; originally 1 bay, extended to 2 bays early
C19, and extended with rear outshut mid C19. At right (west)
is 1 bay extension which provides entrance to 37C, with 1
casement on first floor, and segmental arched doorway on
ground floor, with 6-panel door, upper 2 glazed. Tiled roof in
line with front slope of main roof links and oversails to
projecting right-hand (west) wing. 37D, with 1-bay street
frontage. Ground floor pebbledashed, first floor yellow brick,
with single 2-light wood casement.
Right (west) flank elevation has three first-floor sash
windows, part red brick ground floor at left with C20 oriel
bay, door and 2 sash windows.
Rear overlaid by large 4-bay double gabled projecting
yellow-brown brick outshut, centre and left, divided between
Nos 37B, C, D, first floor with recessed 12-pane sash windows,
narrow outshut of similar character on right (east) to 37A.
INTERIOR: No.37C contains original parlour, beam with tongued
stop, fireplace recess reduced in size with C19 surround. C18
corner cupboard with profiled carved shelves in recess above.
4-panel door with quadrant moulding and HL-hinges. C19
staircase with stick balusters and Tuscan column newel. Front
bedroom on first floor has exposed chamfered beams and dragon
beams below original hipped end of roof, large arched rendered
fireplace, at left C17 battened door decorated to suggest
panels - narrow upper and middle panels with triple
intermediate and lower panels. This led to a closet alongside
the chimney, now blocked off and only accessible from No.37B.
Attic now subdivided between Nos 37B and 37C but originally 2
chambers with central access; roof not accessible.
No.37B: Entry from porch into hall/kitchen through doorway
with ledged and battened door with moulded edges and 'V'
inserts, and moulded architrave frame. Fireplace reduced in
width with C19 bolection moulded surround with carved acanthus
leaf cornice to shelf. Exposed beams with chamfers. C17 newel
stair with close string, cut profiled splats, moulded handrail
and square newel post with moulded cap on square pedestal.
Door to east room similar to door to porch; east room has
corner fireplace. First-floor front bedroom has exposed dragon
beams as in 37C. Attic as 37C, roof, inspected on this side,
has halved and pegged oak rafters in the medieval tradition.
No.37A mainly C19 internal features, but roof over front has
riven rafters and butt purlins of late C17/C18 date.
No.37D, interior not inspected.
HISTORICAL NOTE: Bridgeman House lay on the outskirts of
Hertford and its site lay for many years within the Brickendon
liberty. Its name is taken from Charles Bridgeman, organist of
All Saints Church from 1791 to 1872, who died c1874, aged 96.
(Victoria History of the Counties of England: Hertfordshire:
London: 1902-1912: 492; Royal Commission on Historical
Monuments (England): An Inventory of the Historical Monuments
of Hertfordshire: London: 1910-: 71; Hertfordshire
Countryside: Forrester H: Hertford Homes in Queen Anne's Day:
Letchworth: 1946-1960: 104-107; The Buildings of England:
Pevsner N: Hertfordshire: Harmondsworth: 1977-: 192; Smith JT:
English Houses 1200-1800: The Hertfordshire Evidence: London:
1992-: 163; Smith JT: Hertfordshire Houses: Selective
Inventory: London: 1993-: 88).
Listing NGR: TL3229912268
