Description

BRENTWOOD

TQ69SW BILLERICAY ROAD, Herongate
723-1/9/166 (South side)
08/04/75 Nos.135, 137 AND 139
Dower House

II

House. Early C17, extended c1700 and in C20. Partly
timber-framed, walls of red and blue brick in Flemish bond,
roofed with handmade and machine-made red clay tiles. Long
main range facing NW of which the left bay is early C17 and
timber-framed, with an axial internal stack at the left end.
The remainder is c1700, with an axial stack. Early C18 one-bay
wing in front of original bay. C20 small single-storey lean-to
extension to rear, to right of centre.
The main range is of 2 storeys and attics; the front wing
comprises a half-cellar, one storey and attic. The front
elevation of the main range is of red brick, with two C19
casements on the ground floor and 3 on the first floor,
irregularly arranged. Band of 3 courses at first-floor height.
Parapet gables, with kneelers in rear pitch only. The front
pitch of the roof is clad with handmade tiles, the rear pitch
with machine-made tiles. The left front wing is of red
stretchers and blue headers in a regular pattern; it has in
the front elevation one similar casement, and one more in a
gabled dormer in the hipped roof. Blocked cellar window in a
brick arch in the right return. The right gable end of the
main range has a plain boarded door, no apertures at ground or
first floor; C20 casement in gable; 7 old wrought-iron ties of
S and X forms. The left elevation has five C19 casements of
various sizes and a door. The rear elevation of the earliest
bay is of red brick, the remainder of red stretchers and blue
headers, forming a regular pattern; three C19 casements on the
ground floor and 6 on the first floor. Similar band at
first-floor level. Cement pointing. The external walls are
approx 0.36m thick, plastered internally; this thickness may
imply the presence of timber framing in addition to brick
cladding.
INTERIOR: the original timber structure is visible only in the
front wall of the left bay of the main range, where it is
enclosed by the front wing. It is of oak, the post chamfered
with lamb's tongue stops, heavy studding and primary straight
bracing; the roof of this bay is of butt-purlin construction,
the purlins in line with a short arched collar, all of high
quality. Large wood-burning hearth with 0.33m jambs, and
chamfered mantel beam with lamb's tongue stops. The floor
structure is C18, comprising an unchamfered transverse beam
supported on a block on the girt at the front, and plain
joists of vertical section, butt-cogged to the beam. Axial and
transverse chamfered beams with lamb's tongue stops above the
first floor. The remainder of the main range has an
unchamfered transverse beam over each ground-floor room, with
a joggled butt-purlin roof. In the front wall of the
ground-floor room at the right end is a deep splayed recess,
probably a blocked window. An C18 pine fire surround and an
C18 pine closet door on the first floor have been seriously
damaged by sand-blasting; the latter has original butterfly
hinges. Most internal doors are 6-panel. The middle stack has
a large wood-burning hearth facing to left, pointed with
cement mortar, and a small C20 hearth to right. The front left
wing has a chamfered axial beam with lamb's tongue stops, and
distinctive diagonal ties at the front angles. The complete
series of C19 casements makes an important contribution to the
character of this building, meriting careful conservation.

Listing NGR: TQ6430591031

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26491663

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

• 
  Harrow on the Hill: A photographic portrayal of listed buildings and structures (Historic Buildings Picture Guides)
• 
  Devon (Pevsner 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)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair
• 
  Oxfordshire: North and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Staffordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)