Details
CRESSING HAWBUSH GREEN
TL 72 SE (west side)
1/54 Hawbush Old House
2.5.53 (formerly listed as
Hawbush Farmhouse)
GV II
Wrongly shown on OS map as Hawbush Farm. House. C14 and C16, restored c.1968,
extended in C20. Timber framed, plastered, roofed with handmade red plain
tiles. The plan comprises 4 elements, of which the first 3 are structurally
separate: (1) one bay of a C14 parlour/solar crosswing, originally of 2 bays,
surviving from an early medieval house of which the remainder has been
demolished, (2) to S, 2-bay hall range (originally floored in one bay only),
facing E, c.1500, with mid-C16 external stack to rear, (3) late C16 3-bay
crosswing to left, with C19 external stack to left of it, (4) late C16
stair-tower to rear of left bay of hall range. C20 single-storey lean-to
extensions to rear and rear left. Conservatory to left, c.1984. 2 storeys and
attics. 3-window range of C20 casements with diamond leading, and 2 more in
gabled dormers. Entrance in lean-to porch to rear left. The roof of the main
range has been extended to the left to incorporate the crosswing, with a gablet
above it, and the right crosswing has been re-roofed to form a catslide to the
rear, with twin gabled dormers. The central cambered tiebeam, arched braces,
collar-purlin and binding beam of the right crosswing are exposed to the front.
The crownpost is exposed inside, with short straight rising braces each side and
a longer straight brace (from a lower point on the crownpost) to the
collar-purlin. 3 original collars and 2 rafter couples survive, the collars
half-dovetailed to the rafters and fixed with nailhead pegs; the remainder of
this roof is cut off by the alteration to a catslide at the rear, and the
demolition of the front bay. On the ground floor, diamond mortices in the rear
girt indicate a former unglazed window. In the left side is the blocked
original doorway through into the hall, with double ogee doorhead and 2 empty
mortices for a former draught screen. In the same wall is a pair of 4-centred
doorheads; these were moved from the other end of the hall range during the C16,
when the ends were reversed, the original parlour/solar wing becoming a service
wing, and the late C16 left crosswing forming a new parlour/solar end, on the
site of a former service bay. The floor in the right bay is original,
comprising a moulded axial beam lodged on the framing of the crosswing, with
chamfered joists of horizontal section with step stops at the outer ends only.
The girts of this right end are rebated for panelling or wainscot, which is
missing. The central post of the rear wall has been severed for the insertion
of a large wood-burning hearth, and supported on a heavy lintel above the mantel
beam, which is chamfered with bar stops. The left bay of the hall range
contained the original front and rear doorways; the position of the front door
is indicated by a deep rebate in the corner post. The rear doorway with
4-centred arched head was re-sited c.1968, and is now in the side of the left
crosswing, but its original position in the rear wall is indicated by peg-holes
in the girt. The floor in this bay was infilled in the late C16; there is
evidence of a former gallery to the rear, and an open void in front of it,
occupied by a chimney stack (which has been demolished) and probably a stair to
the gallery. Front and back doors were inserted at the right end of the hall
range at the same time, since blocked. On the first floor is an original
studded partition between the bays, with altered doorway on the line of the
former gallery, and in the rear wall 2 glazed windows with diamond mullions and
grooves for sliding shutters; one mullion is a restoration of c.1968, the others
are original. Also in this wall is an edge-halved and bridled scarf. At the
left end studs have been removed for access to the rear stair-tower. The roof
is of clasped purlin construction with cranked wind-braces, not smoke-blackened;
this roof appears to be a rebuild of the late C16. The left crosswing has
moulded binding beams (one hacked away to increase the clearance), inserted
partitions between the middle and rear bays, and a clasped purlin roof with
cranked wind-bracing, originally gabled but altered to hips at front and back to
align with the roof of the hall range. On the ground floor an original glazed
window at the front has been replaced by the present window, of similar
dimensions. To each side of it a smaller glazed window was inserted c.1575,
each with one moulded mullion and 2 diamond saddle bars, now with C20 glazing.
On the upper floor the left room is lined with oak panelling of c.1600,
believed to have been removed from the ground floor c.1968. The stair tower
has a blocked ground floor window with one ovolo mullion, and mortices for an
unglazed window on the upper floor. The stair is rebuilt. (See report,
photographs and measured drawings by J. McCann, 1981, deposited in Essex Record
Office and the National Monuments Record). RCHM 4.
Listing NGR: TL7857420365
