Description

STAPLEHURST FRITTENDEN ROAD
TQ 74 SE (North side)

3/95 Exhurst
25.7.52
II*

Farmhouse, probably also with special function. Now house. Possibly
late C14 or early C15, with alterations and additions of C15 or early
C16, C17, C19 and 1920's. Timber framed. Ground floor rendered to
south wing, red brick to rest. First floor tile-hung. South elevation
weatherboarded to ground floor, with applied close-studding above.
Plain tile roof. South wing of 2 timber-framed bays running east-west,
possibly late C14, and probably the storeyed south end wing of an open
hall. Open hall replaced or curtailed, probably in the later C15, by
a further storeyed wing of 3 or more timber-framed bays, of which
only 2 survive, running east-west about 10 feet north of the C14 wing,
starting a few feet west of the east end of that wing and presently
terminating flush with its west end. Wings linked by a broad north-
south passage, also flush to the west side, and extended with the
insertion of a C17 stack, to become flush with east end of north wing.
Evidence for ground-floor subdivision of both wings. Apparently one
large room to first floor of each wing. 2 storeys. South wing jettied
to east, south and west, (underbuilt to west), with moulded dragon
post to south-east corner and tenoned joists to south-west. Underbuilt
jetty to east gable end of north wing. Eaves of wings same height.
South wing hipped to east and west, west hip returning along infilling
section. North wing hipped to east, returning along infilling section,
and gabled to west with lower ridge. East elevation: (former front?)
multiple red and grey brick stack in front slope of roof, between
wings. Irregular fenestration of 3 casements; one 2-light to gable
end of each wing and one single-light under stack. Glazed door
under stack. Red brick lean-to to west gable of north wing. 2-storey
C20 addition to north, ground floor red brick, first floor with
applied close-studding. Plain tile roof. Interior: exposed framing.
Moulded south end-of-hall beam retained along north side of south
wing. Moulded pointed-arched ground-floor doorway under west end of
beam. 2-bay first-floor room of south wing has double-chamfered
wall-plates and end tie-beams; remaining central post morticed for
large brace. First-floor doorhead (for garderobe?) to west end of
south wall. Collared common rafter roof, formerly with central
crown-post. Central and west end trusses of north wing with moulded
heavy-scantling solid-spandrel arch-braces and tie-beams, moulded
posts with first-floor cushion stops, and moulded octagonal crown-
posts. West end crown-post shows evidence for continuation of wing
to west. Shutter groove to east end of south wall of north wing.
Fireplaces with plain jambs and chamfered bressumers. Moated site.

Listing NGR: TQ7984642963

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17544982

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius (Penguin Art & Architecture)
• 
  Central Leinster: Kildare, Laois and Offaly (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
• 
  For the Record
• 
  Period Property Manual (New Ed)
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects by Harwood, Richard (2012) Paperback