Description

TL 51 SE LEADEN RODING

5/25 Leaden Roding Hall

7.2.52 II
GV
Manor house, c.1400, and adjacent house, early C16, together forming a 'Unit
System' group, altered in C16, C19 and C20, now occupied as 3 tenements. Timber
framed, plastered, roofs tiled. The earlier building is a hall house, with
storeyed parlour/solar end to north, 2-bay hall, and 3-bay service crosswing
to south. Built corner to corner with it is a 2-bay 2-storey. house aligned
east-west probably for occupation by another generation of the same family
forming separate households working the same land, known as 'The Unit System'.
Chimney stack inserted in south bay of hall, just off the line of the cross-
entry, and floor inserted, late C16. External chimney stack at north end, C19
and internal chimney stack in northeast corner of crosswing, C19. Axial chimney
stack in east-west-building, date unknown. Single storey extension to west
end of it, C19. West elevation of hall house, single storey with attics. 2
storeys in crosswing. Ground floor, 4 C20 casement windows, plain boarded
door to no. 3. Plain door with 2 lights and shallow hood to no. 2. First
floor, 3 C20 casement windows in gabled dormers, one in end of crosswing. Roof
hipped at north. North elevation of east-west block (no. 1) bay window and 2
casement windows at each floor, plain door, all C20. Both houses are fully
plastered and ceiled, revealing hardly any evidence of the timber frames. The
roof of the hall is of crownpost construction, complete except for rafters
severed for inserted chimney, all heavily smoke-blackened. Octagonal central
crownpost with step stops, 4 arched braces of which one is severed. Collars
lap-jointed to rafters and secured with nailhead pegs. Roof of crosswing also
of crownpost construction, plain crownposts with 4 arched braces. Roof of
east-west block of crownpost construction, with plain crownpost and axial
braces only. Roof timbers appear to bear traces of original red paint.
Moated site. This group is of exceptional interest historically, as at this
date (January 1983) only one other manorial 'Unit System' group is known in
Essex, and that much altered. (K.L. Sandall: The Unit System in Essex,
Archaeological Journal 132 (1975) 195-201). Both buildings retain their
original timber structure, but at present visible only at roof level. Cellar
reported below northwest corner of hall, not accessible. The original panelling
and four-centred doorhead reported by the RCHM(2) are not present or visible.
The house was reported in poor condition then, but what is visible of the
original structure now is in excellent condition.

Listing NGR: TL5898013344

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26434033

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

• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects, Supplement 2014
• 
  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair
• 
  Development and Design of Heritage Sensitive Sites: Strategies for Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas
• 
  Northumberland (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Sussex: East with Brighton and Hove (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)