Details
PURLEIGH PURLEIGH STREET
TL 80 SW
(south side)
1/106
8.12.82 The Bell Public House
GV
II
2 houses combined, now a public house. C15, altered c.1600 and in C18 and C20.
Timber framed, plastered, roughcast and partly of red brick in Flemish bond,
roofed with handmade and machine-made red clay tiles and slate. Complex plan
comprising 5 elements of various dates: (1) a C15 small house of high quality,
probably a priest's house, of 2 bays aligned approx. N-S, with an C18 external
stack at the N end; (2) to the S of it, the 2-bay parlour/solar crosswing of a
C15 hall house; (3) to the E of this, a 3-bay range comprising the 2-bay hall
with inserted stack of c.1600 in the E bay, and the originally storeyed service
bay; the roofs of all the foregoing have been rebuilt as gambrelled attics in
the C18; (4) along the N side of this range, an C18 lean-to extension forming a
slated catslide of the main roof; (5) to the N of (1) a brick stable block, C18,
with tiled hipped roof. The W wall of this block has been extended S in the C18
to form a brick facade to (1) and (2) facing the churchyard. Mainly of 2
storeys with attics, stable block of 2 storeys. W elevation, scattered
fenestration, C19 and C20, and plain boarded door in weatherboarded lean-to
porch. Roof half-hipped. S elevation, scattered fenestration which includes at
the NE corner of the lean-to extension an early C19 bow window (only the fascia
and moulded cornice remaining, the rest altered in the C20), and on the first
floor one early C19 sash of 16 lights. The stable block has 2 C20 windows on
each floor, 2 plain boarded doors and one pair of double doors. Block (1) has
jowled posts, close studding with curved tension braces trenched to the inside;
a blocked large first-floor window facing W (towards the church), with mortices
for moulded mullions and a rebate for hinged shutters; a chamfered binding beam
with convex stops, and chamfered joists of horizontal section with convex stops,
jointed to it with central tenons with housed soffit shoulders; a C17 framed
ceiling, the main beam chamfered with lamb's tongue stops, forming the floor of
the C18 gambrelled attic. The hall (3) has a large wood-burning hearth of 0.33
metre brickwork against the S wall, and an inserted floor comprising a chamfered
axial beam and plain joists of vertical section supported on pegged clamps,
c.1600. The service bay has a binding beam with mortices and wattle groove for
a former partition, interrupted by chamfers with step stops at the W end,
indicating an original doorway (an unusual feature in this position) and exposed
joists of horizontal section jointed to it with central tenons. There is a
framed stair trap in the N part, now blocked. On the ground floor the N wall
has been removed, and the E wall rebuilt in the C18. On the first floor of this
range, lighting an internal stair, is an C18 borrowed-light, of 2 lights each of
12 rectangular leaded panes, with original glass, leading and wrought iron
saddle bars, a rare survival which merits special care. Deeds in the possession
of the owners include the grant of a licence for use as a beerhouse in 1670, at
which time the property comprised a beerhouse, stable, barn, cottage, smithy,
and 4 acres.
Listing NGR: TL8417101987
