Description

TL 64 SE STEEPLE BUMPSTEAD CHAPEL STREET
2/63
21/6/62 The Ancient House

GV II*

Hall house, C15, altered in C16 and C20. Timber framed, plastered, roofed with
handmade red clay tiles. 2-bay hall aligned approx. N-S, aspect W, with integral
service bay to S and 3-bay crosswing to N, jettied to the W. Late C16 axial
chimney stack in N bay of hall, early C17 external stack on N side of crosswing,
C19/20 external stack at S end. Single-storey extensions to N and E of
crosswing. 2 storeys in crosswing, remainder of one storey with attics. C20
door, 5 C20 metal casement windows. 4 plain brackets and exposed joists below
jetty. First floor, one C20 metal casement window and one more in gabled
dormer. Grouped diagonal shafts on central and N chimney stacks, rebuilt
C19/20. The interior has jowled posts, heavy studding and cambered tiebeams.
The crosswing has a plain-chamfered binding beam with broach stops, and plain
joists of horizontal section. There is a large blocked unglazed window in the E
wall of the hall, divided by a late C16 inserted floor on pegged clamps, with
all joists of horizontal section, plain-chamfered with lamb's tongue stops.
There are edge-halved and bridled scarfs in both wallplates, and the original
crownpost roof is substantially present, heavily smoke-blackened, but the
central crownpost and collar-purlin are missing. At the S end of the hall the
upper studs retain original wattle and daub infill, heavily smoke-blackened. The
crosswing has a plain crownpost with curved braces to the collar-purlin; above
this the roof has been rebuilt in softwood. There are 2 C16 moulded doors in
the crosswing, one at the entrance to the parlour and possibly in its original
position, the other re-positioned on the first floor. On the ground floor a
section of C16 panelling has been re-used as a door. RCHM 18.

Listing NGR: TL6808941129

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17557087

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)
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Buildings of England)
• 
  Renovating Old Houses: Bringing New Life to Vintage Homes (For Pros By Pros)
• 
  Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability
• 
  Northumberland (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)