28-30, SOUTH STREET

Details

899/6/486 SOUTH STREET 18-OCT-55 TITCHFIELD (East side) 28-30 (Formerly listed as: SOUTH STREET TITCHFIELD 30 THREE COTTAGES)

II* Early C15 continuously-jettied hall-house (dendro-dated timbers of 1412/13) with alterations to the hall in the late C15 to early C16. Later modifications include its subdivision into three cottages; also C20 alterations and additions.

MATERIALS: Timber-framed with both wattle and daub infill and brick nogging. Tile roof.

PLAN: A rectangular house of four bays oriented north-south. Originally a medieval hall-house with gallery to west. Now, from north to south: dining room with late C20 apsidal kitchen extension added to the east; sitting room and study with shared chimney stack. Dog-leg stairs in NW corner with small entrance lobby to S of stairs. First floor: N-S corridor along W side and from north to south: bedroom; master bedroom; bathroom; dressing room/bedroom. Further bedroom housed in adjoining extension to S over garage. This extension, while historic, is not of special interest.

EXTERIOR: Two-storey house with half-hipped tiled roof and off-centre stack. Principal elevation to west onto South Street. Of four bays with jettied upper floor, although the jetty is missing from the most northerly bay. Rendered but with exposed timber-frame in medium-sized panels. Wooden casements with small panes to both floors set flush with the building line. Visible evidence for position of former middle and south cottage doors (when divided into three cottages). North elevation blind except for one small stair window at north-west corner. Exposed frame at ground floor level. South elevation largely obscured by garage block but has exposed timber frame to the south gable. Rear (east) garden elevation also with exposed timber-frame. Panels are rendered at first floor level and red brick nogging to ground floor. Red brick kitchen extension to north-east and garage block to south are not of special interest.

INTERIOR: Timber-framing is evident throughout the interior which is divided into four bays. The former open hall can be discerned. It has a gallery across the hall, and its hall truss is of an unusual aisled form. GROUND FLOOR: evidence of former partition between dining and sitting room with substantial post to west. Former external wall panels at north-east corner opened up to create access to modern kitchen. Sitting room fireplace with large chamfered bressumer and cupboards either side; one a former bread oven. Study with fireplace (sharing chimney stack with the sitting room); also chamfered spine beam with simple run-out stops. Joists also have stops. Cupboard to west of fireplace is former position of lobby-entry doorway visible on a historic photograph of c1906. Former external door in south wall, now into garage, with substantial planks. Jowelled post in entrance lobby to north of front door. Modern dog-leg staircase at north-west corner. FIRST FLOOR: Former hall gallery, now landing, along western side. Arched door-heads cut into substantial tie beams. Angled brace supporting post dividing northern two bays. Pegged joints. Large panels to bedrooms and bathrooms. Carpenter's marks on dressing room north wall timbers; also exposed patch of wattle and daub. ROOF: Substantial collar beams and side purlins; also wattle and daub panels. Soot blackening evident on these and also historic rafters (some rafters are modern replacements).

HISTORY: Nos. 28-30 South Street has been dated by dendrochronology to the early C15. Dates obtained indicate that the timber for the primary construction was felled in the winter of 1412-13, and as wood for building was used green rather than seasoned this would suggest a construction date commencing in 1413. Further dendrochronological dates indicate that the hall was altered in the late C15 to early C16 (within the date range 1489 to 1521) when the open hall truss was partitioned and the end truss altered to create a smoke bay.

The house has also experienced more recent alterations. Although built as a single dwelling, it was subdivided into three at some time in its history and remained so until the late C19 to early C20. A historical photograph of c1906 shows the house with its full length jetty and two entrance doors to the north and south, as well as a blocked central doorway. Part of the jetty, at its northern end, was removed following a vehicle strike in the late C20. In 1985 an apsidal kitchen/breakfast room was added to the rear (east). The roof is understood to have been re-tiled in the same year, although clearly re-using old tiles. Conservation restoration was carried out in the early C21 to remove cement render, and repair and patch failing timbers.

Titchfield has an interesting medieval history. Formerly a tidal port, it retains a number of other medieval houses. Nos. 28-30 South Street is of further interest as a surviving town house of middling status; these are far less common than rural survivals, and this survival reflects the mercantile vitality of the town.

SOURCES: Roberts, E: 'The Jetty, 28 South Street, Titchfield'. (Hampshire Building Survey Group report, 1997) Roberts, E: Hampshire Houses 1250-1700: their dating and development (2003). Hampshire County Council, pp 45, 47 & 49

REASON FOR DESIGNATION: Nos. 28-30 South Street is designated at Grade II* for the following principal reasons: * It is of more than special architectural interest for its early construction and modification; the house has been dated by dendrochronology (to 1412/13 and 1489-1521 respectively); * It is of more than special architectural interest for its rare hall-with-gallery form. * It is a relatively rare survival of a late medieval town house, reflecting Titchfield's mercantile past.

Legacy

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