Sheering Hall

Details

TL 496 129 SHEERING HARLOW ROAD 2/17 Sheering Hall 22.2.52 GV II*

Pair of hall houses, late C15 and early C16, comprising a 'Unit System' group of manorial status, combined to form one house and extended in C19 and C20. Timber framed, roughcast rendered, roofed with handmade red clay tiles. (1) Wealden house, late C15, aligned approx. NW-SE, with storeyed end to SE jettied on both sides, 2 bay hall ending in a hip, with no original storeyed accommodation to the NW. (2) Abutting on the NW end aligned approx. NE-SW, hall house, early C16, with integral storeyed SW end, 2 bay hall, storeyed crosswing to NE. Cellar under NE bay of hall. Inserted axial chimney stack in SW bay of hall, late C16. Stair tower in E angle. External chimney stack at NE side of crosswing (3) C19 extension to NW of (2) forming an approx. Z-plan (4) Extension c.1900, to SE of (1) with axial chimney stack at the junction (5) Miscellaneous small extensions, C19 and C20, on all sides. 2 storeys. SW elevation, ground floor, 3 bay windows, c.1900, double glazed doors in tiled gabled porch. First floor, 4 C20 casement windows with facade gables above. Jetty in middle section. Roof hipped at SE end only. (1) Some framing exposed internally, mainly on ground floor. Transverse joists of horizontal section, unchamfered, forming the NE jetty over the angle staircase. Crownpost roof, with original hip rafter at NW end, smoke-blackened to end, now enclosed in later extension. Plain crownpost with arch braces. Roof mainly complete, including original wattle and daub partition between hall and storeyed SW end. Ground floor hearth at junction of the 2 houses has stone surround with bolection moulding. Ground floor room at SE end has fire surround of grey marble with carved wooden surround, egg-and-dart at sides, acorn and oak leaf design above, and ceiling has floral band, all c.1900. (2) Axial beam of inserted floor in hall plain chamfered with lamb's tongue stops. Cambered central tiebeam of hall, originally with deep arched braces of which one is severed for a closet door, the other removed. Crownpost of octagonal section with step stops and 4 arched braces of thin section. Roof mainly complete, smoke-blackened over hall. C18 window in SE end of crosswing at first floor level, one fixed light with 2 vertical iron bars, one wrought iron casement, with rectangular panes including some early glass and original leading, all in hardwood frame, a rare feature to survive in this condition. This pair of houses is of exceptional interest. (I) is the only Wealden house known in Essex at this date which is jettied on both sides, although this occurs in the Weald itself. The roof structure, indicating original hips at both ends is unusually complete, although the lower part of the house is much altered. The 'Unit System' group is rare at manorial level; a parallel exists at Leaden Roding Hall, but with many differences. The 'Unit System' enabled 2 generations of the same family to live in close proximity but with separate household arrangements, working the same land. Where identified elsewhere the smaller house is the later in date, but here the reverse seems to apply. It seems unlikely that house (1) comprised a manor house originally, with only one storeyed end, so an earlier manor house on the site of (2) can be presumed, replaced in a phased renewal programme in which the Wealden house was built before the main manor house was rebuilt.

Listing NGR: TL4962012882

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

118249

Legacy System:

LBS

End of official list entry