Description

GRAVELEY CHURCH LANE
TL 2328 (North side)

12/4 Graveley Hall
9.6.52
GV II

Manor house. E wing late medieval, hall range rebuilt C17, renovated
1717 as a farmhouse by John Chalkley ('JC/1717/J & EF/1958' restored
panel on S chimney of E wing), brick cased and interior alterations
c.1840, restored 1958 by Donald W Insall & Associates for Franklin
family. Timber frame cased in red brick. Steep old red tile hipped
roofs. A 2-storeys and cellar, L-plan house facing S with single-storey
service wing extending to W from N end of W side of E wing. Plat-band,
brick dentilled eaves course, flush 3-lights casement windows, and 3
large lateral chimneys with square shafts set diagonally and crow steps
to heavy projecting moulded base (that at S end of E wing has clunch
quoins). On S front E wing projecting on RH has one window to each
floor. Entrance in angle with wing by 6-panels moulded door (bottom 2
panels flush beaded) with moulded hood on shaped brackets. Canted bay
window to hall on left of door, with window over, and one window to each
floor of W part. Interior has exposed frame in E wing which has a 2-bays
parlour at S end separated by an original staircase bay from a smaller
2-bays rear room with large sidewall fireplace on W side from which 2
large domed projecting ovens were removed in early C20. Chamfered
cross-beam with stops and chamfered posts in walls at each end. In NW
corner a corner cupboard with hemi-cycle head, shaped shelves, and older
scratch moulded doors re-used. Elaborate leaf-carved stop to moulded
cross-beam in parlour with smaller moulded axial beams (now exposed)
only beside C19 inserted staircase in N part of 2nd bay. This rises to a
landing with scratch moulded panelling, early C18 barley-sugar
balustrade (formerly from around headmaster's desk in former Hitchin Old
Free School and inserted here 1958), plaster ogee-head openings c.1840,
stop-jowled bay-posts, and doorway to lobby at NE chamfered and stopped
on outside to former stairhead in next bay. Upper floor of E wing has
chamfered and stopped axial beams to support floor of former attics.
2-steps up to upper floor of hall range with rooms partly in the roof.
During works in 1958 stone wide 4-centred arch fireplace with sunk
spandrels moved to hall from chamber over parlour, and fine carved oak
cupboard door with cipher of James I, found in house, was set beside the
hall fireplace. (RCHM (1911)93: Pevsner (1977)148: RCHM Typescript: inf
Mr. Franklin).

Listing NGR: TL2345628116

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26396644

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

• 
  Liverpool: Pevsner City Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  The Victorian House Manual (2nd Edition): How They Were Built, Improvements & Refurbishment, Solutions to All Common Defects - Includes Relevant ... ... Properties (Haynes Manual) (Haynes Manuals)
• 
  Yorkshire West Riding: Sheffield and the South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  England's Post-War Listed Buildings
• 
  Churches: An Architectural Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)