1, BRICKHOUSE ROAD

Details

TL 8430-8530 COLNE ENGAINE BRICKHOUSE ROAD (south-west side)

7/3 No. 1 3.2.86

- II*

House. Circa 1300, altered in C16 and 1985. Timber framed, plastered, roofed with handmade red clay tiles. 2 bays of an aisled hall aligned NE-SW, with an C18/19 axial stack in the SW bay, and an originally storeyed parlour/solar bay to the SW; both aisles present. Crosswing to NE, 1985. One storey with attics. SE elevation, 2 hardwood casements, and 2 more in gabled dormers, inserted in 1985. C20 half-glazed door. The mainspan is 3.75 metres, each aisle span 0.69 metre. The parlour/solar bay is 3.05 metres long, the 'high end' bay of the hall 1.82 metres long, beyond which was originally a third hall bay and a service bay, now missing; the hall is truncated by an old brick wall, now incorporated in the 1985 crosswing. (All measurements are between the surfaces of the posts). 6 arcade posts are present, of which the 2 NE posts are severed at first-floor level and supported on a transverse beam. A mortice in the NW arcade plate indicates the position of another arcade post, formerly part of a spere truss, beyond which no original structure survives. The arcade posts are scribed to fit the original waney surface of the arcade plates, and those of the hall are trenched for passing-braces to the NE. All posts are unjowled. 2 sections of the NW arcade plate remain in situ, replaced by a later hardwood plate in the SW bay of the hall. Near the NE end one slightly curved arcade brace of square section, unchamfered, is tenoned to the arcade plate, and there is an empty mortice for another. Rising mortices in the posts indicate the positions of other arcade braces and braces to the tiebeams; only the SW tiebeam remains in situ. The SE arcade plate has been replaced by later hardwood. All original timbers of the hall are heavily smoke-blackened. Diamond mortices in the NW wallplate indicate the position of an original hall window; the form of the aisles is present, but elsewhere there is much replacement hardwood. The parlour/solar bay is largely intact. 2 slightly curved arcade braces, chamfered with runout stops, are lap-jointed to the NW arcade plate. The NW aisle wall retains original studs at approx. 0.30 metre intervals, and one curved tension brace trenched to the outside - a rare survival. A short section of the NW wallplate has been replaced, joined to the original with an edge-halved and bridled scarf, indicating a C15/C16 repair. In the soffit of the SW tiebeam 3 diamond mortices indicate the position of an original central window; the sill is missing, but mortices in the posts indicate its position. The E arcade post of the parlour is rebated for a door (from hall to parlour), and on the hall side retains a short length of slightly curved passing-brace, and the matrix of an open notched lap joint with refined entry, for a rising brace. The original floor structure is intact, comprising longitudinal plain joists of horizontal section and a trimmed stair trap against the partition; owing to subsidence or rising ground level the joists have been raised 0.38 metre. Some smoke-blackened rafters are present, re-set. One has 2 trenches for a gable smoke vent, another has a peghole for the vent structure; others have a single trench for a collar. 2 features of this building are rare, or possibly unique - the surviving part of the NW aisle wall, and the combination of lap-jointed and tenoned braces to the same arcade plate. This house is the oldest secular building in the parish. Measured drawings by R. Shackle of the Essex Historic Buildings Group will be deposited with Essex Record Office and the National Monuments Record.

Listing NGR: TL8559930754

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

115852

Legacy System:

LBS

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