Details
TL 6730 GREAT BARDFIELD HIGH STREET
(south-east side)
8/189 Place House
2.5.53
GV II*
House. Late C14/early C15, altered in C16 and C18. Timber framed, plastered,
with some exposed brick nogging and some plastered brick facing, roofed with
handmade red clay tiles. Complex plan consisting of (1) 3-bay hall range facing
NW, with Cl6 axial stack at left end of middle bay, (2) a 2-bay crosswing to the
right, originally the parlour/solar, (3) in front of left end of hall range, a
mid-C16 2-storey porch, originally jettied on 3 sides, now underbuilt, (4) to
left, a mid-C16 block of 2 parallel ranges aligned with street, with 2 C18
external stacks on left return wall, (5) extending to rear of it, C16 3-bay
service wing, with C19 external stack to left, (6) C18 2-storey extension in
rear angle. 2 storeys. NW elevation, ground floor, splayed bay of late C19
sashes of 2-4-2 lights, 2 C19 sashes of 6 lights and one of 10 lights. First
floor, 2 C18 sashes of 12 lights with crown glass, 2 mid-C19 sashes of 6 lights.
Half-glazed door in C18 doorcase with 2 Roman Doric engaged columns, panelled
architrave with carved lion's head; and embellished cornice. The left return
wall is jettied as far as the second stack, with a moulded bressumer, 2 plain
brackets, and a corner post richly carved with a floral design and 'W.B. Mense
Aprilis A. Dni. 1564' in high relief, relating to William Bendlowes, 1516-84,
serjeant-at-law (S. Hyland, An Elizabethan Self-Made Man of Law, Essex
Countryside, March 1983, 22-4). The lower storey of the left return wall is
close-studded with original brick nogging arranged in opposed triangles. Beyond
the second stack there is an early C19 bow window of 3 sashes, and beyond, 2
C17/C18 2-light windows each with a wrought iron casement and early glass with
rectangular leading. The right return wall of the 2-storey porch is faced with
brick, enclosing the jetty, and plastered, with a mid-C16 window at first-floor
level consisting of 3 round-headed lights, chamfered and plastered, with early
glass and diamond leading. On left corner an C18 wrought iron lantern bracket
with twisted stem. The interior of the right crosswing has jowled posts, short
arched braces of wide section to the cambered tiebeam, and a central crownpost
of octagonal section with broach stops. The upper part is concealed by an
inserted ceiling without access, but it is likely that the original roof is
complete. The hall range is wholly plastered internally, the axial beam of the
inserted floor boxed in; it is not clear how much remains of the medieval
structure, but the height (one storey with attic) suggests that it has not
undergone major rebuilding. At the S corner there is a doorway rebated for the
original door into the parlour, and a mortice for an associated draught screen.
The 2-storey porch has 2 dragon beams with plain stops, and exposed plain joists
of horizontal section. In the right wall at ground floor level there is an
arched recess, possibly for an inserted hearth, although there is no indication
of a flue above, or perhaps for a recessed cupboard. This porch, jettied on 3
sides, pre-dates the brick wall on the right which conceals one jetty and which
itself is dated by the mid-C16 triple window. To the left, the jetty has been
incorporated in the floor structure of the wing dated 1564. An axial beam is
chamfered with lamb's tongue stops, and from its other end a dragon beam is
morticed, chamfered with step stops. The joists are plain and of horizontal
section. Posts in this, wing are chamfered with step stops. The upper room is
lined with early C17 oak panelling. The twin roofs are of clasped purlin
construction with arched wind bracing. The rear service wing has jowled posts,
arched braces to the tiebeams, and a straight stair of solid treads. The
development of this unusual house can be expressed in 5 phases (1) originating
in the late C14 or early C15 as a conventional hall house of half-H plan, the
parlour/solar wing to the SW still present, the service wing to the NE
(demolished) nearest to the associated farmyard, (2) in the mid-C16 a chimney
stack and floor were inserted in the hall, and the 2-storey porch was added at
the end of the cross-passage, (3) in 1564 the original service crosswing was
demolished and replaced by the present NE wing, which became the new reception
end of the house, the original parlour/solar wing reverting to an inferior
function, (4) then or soon afterwards, the present service wing was built,
extending along the side of the farmyard, (5) the addition of an extra room at
each floor, in the rear angle, underbuilding of the front jetty, and other
superficial alterations of the Cl8. This house retains an unusual number of
early features. The use of different types of chamfer stops is of particular
historical interest, providing firmly dated evidence of the introduction of the
lamb's tongue stop in Essex
RCHM 21. - -
Listing NGR: TL6741030339
