Details
HERTFORD
TL3212NE BULL PLAIN
817-1/17/19 (East side)
02/12/69 Nos.18 AND 20
Hertford Museum (No.18) and Tooke
House (No.20)
GV II
Houses, one building, now museum (No.18) and offices (No.20)
(including N wing built as Oddfellows Hall). Early C17
structure, refronted mid C18, with C19 and later alterations.
Timber-framed and plastered; old tiled roof; rear of No.18 has
twin gables at left (south) projecting 'M' gable at right
(north) and modern outshoot with Welsh slated roof; No.20 has
rear range with Welsh slated roof and remodelled outshoot at
right (north) with old tiled roof (8 bays).
EXTERIOR: 2 storeys and attics; first floor has 8 flush-set
sash windows with moulded architrave surrounds, 4 to left
(No.20) with glazing bars - one 16-pane; three 12-pane and 4
to right (No.18) C19 with divided glazing. Ground floor
(No.20) 3 flush-set 12-pane sash windows with moulded
architrave surrounds to left-hand extension, single storey and
attics (former Oddfellows Hall), two 12-pane and one 16-pane
to right of door, plat band at first-floor level; 6-panel door
with oblong fanlight in panelled reveal, fluted pilaster
surround with paterae, reeded consoles, panelled soffit to
cornice hood. Ground floor (No.18) has early C19 shop windows,
with closed windows, on right, with Tuscan pilaster surround,
entablature with plain frieze and moulded cornice - second
shopfront left of door is a narrower, mid C20 replica; central
doorway with 6-panel door (4 panels fielded), with fanlight
with tracery of half and quarter circles, panelled reveals,
surround of reeded Tuscan pilasters surmounted by smaller
pilasters flanking fanlight, with plain frieze, with carved
paterae and leaves left and right, flat modillions with carved
soffits and slim moulded cornice hood. Roof with 4 box dormers
with 6-pane sashes at front.
First-floor rear elevations of No.20 has 1 flush 16-pane sash
window at left, recessed triple sash 4:12:4 panes at right.
Ground floor has triple sash recessed under segmented arch at
left, and early C19 French windows, with margin glazing and
gothick upper lights, at right.
Rear of No.18 has modern 2- and 3-light wood casements, with
divided glazing, in attics. Modern arcaded doors with
sidelights and fanlight at first floor landing level lead into
garden down modern iron steps and rails. Low C19 conservatory
at right, with Welsh slated hipped roof abuts C19 and 1980s
outshoots.
INTERIOR: No.18 opened out to form shops and subsequently used
as museum galleries. Staircase of oak, dogleg plan, close
string with moulded cap, plain newels with tongue chamfers and
ball finials, bold barley-sugar twist columns on vase
balusters, and moulded handrails. Lower flights rebuilt with
C19 stick balusters, moulded hardwood handrail and Tuscan
column lower newel. First floor display rooms opened out,
exposed beams, one with chamfer and double tongue. 4 bay
attic, roof with halved and pegged rafters and butt purlins.
No.20 ground floor rebuilt since 1970s and closing of
Oddfellows Hall.
First-floor north room has massive C17 chamfered beams above
later lower ceiling. Timber studding exposed in south room
appears to be C17 work with primary bracing and carpenters'
assembly marks. 2 attics with exposed collars, principal
rafters and butt purlins. Stair, now cut off in attic, close
string, dogleg plan, newels, barley-sugar column on vase
balusters, heavy moulded handrail.
Roof retains some halved and pegged rafters at south end, and
there appears to have been a contemporary gabled outshoot;
much of the roof structure now replaced with sawn members.
(Green L: Hertford's Past in Pictures: Ware: 1993-: 29).
Listing NGR: TL3263412705
