Description

DODDINGHURST

TQ59NE DAYS LANE
723-1/5/319 (East side)
27/08/52 Park Farmhouse
(Formerly Listed as:
BRENTWOOD
DAYS LANE, Doddinghurst
Park Farmhouse)

II

House. c1400, early C17, c1700 and C20. Timber-framed,
weatherboarded, rendered and colour washed, peg-tiled roof,
half-hipped at W. L-plan. 2 storeys. Irregular facade as
present front was originally the back. C20 replacement of all
windows with wooden casements, most with single median glazing
bars. Main range, ground floor 2-light window and C20 glazed
French doors, first floor one 2-light, one 3-light and one
small 2-light windows. Cross-wing has C20 large lean-to porch
to W side with C20 boarded front door on W face with full
length side light. S gable end of cross-wing has one small
2-light window and 2 full sized 2-light windows, first floor
has one large 3-light window. Outshut to E of cross-wing has
one 2-light window.
INTERIOR comprises (1) 2 bay cross-wing of early hall house
c1400. One ogee head of service door and seating for second
one. Jetty to N (now rear of house), jetty posts and brackets
unusually from single pieces of wood. Evidence of curved
tension bracing to original jetty, doubled in gable. Jetty
joists laid flat, original and lodged over binding joist. Rear
joists possibly renewed. Ground-floor front wall now directly
under original overhang and containing diamond mullion holes
and shutter groove for window - possibly original wall cut
free and moved out to present position. Small mullioned window
also at N end of E side wall. Large peg holes in studs
possible site of weaver's warping frame. First floor, shutter
grooves and mullion holes for a double window over jetty.
Small braces to centre cambered tie-beam to allow head room.
Burn marks from candles and rush lights in rear bay. Roof
simple collar rafter type, hipped at S end, no crown posts or
side purlins. Collars barefaced dovetailed to rafters and pegs
with facetted heads. W exterior face of cross-wing (towards
hall) has heavy sooting from open fire of original medieval
hall, now gone. Sooting invades cross-wing rafters, some
reset, one with evidence of double collar and mortice for
bonnet of a smoke gablet. (2) Main range, mid-C16 replacement
of old hall with 2-cell, 2-storeyed block. Central room with
flat laid ceiling joists with reduced soffit tenons. Bridging
joist and common joists with unusual stop on chamfers, step
type with a sweep back at the outer edges. Chimney bay wider
than later inserted brick stack, bridging joist with some
sooting, and infilling joists secondary - possibly smoke void
and/or site of timber chimney. High end cross wall of central
room, chiselled Roman numerals, petal shaped scratched design
and traces of red painting on studs. Doorway through partition
original. NW corner of room has large peg holes in studs -
warping frame?. First floor primary bracing of walls is
possibly later rebuilding. Face halved and bladed scarf joint
in wall plate. Evidence of mullioned windows on each side of
both rooms. Chiselled Roman numerals on partition wall
studding. Roof of queen post, clasped side purlin type with
wind braces but many rafters reset and sooted with disused
collar joints (like cross-wing). Also side purlins made from
old top plates with rafter seatings, one with small
rectangular mortices for the mullions of a large medieval
window. Apparently, in rebuilding, the old hall timbers were
reused in new work where not visible from below. One rafter
could be from a timber chimney, several minor joints and
recesses to take wattle work. (3) Early C17, insertion of
stack into chimney bay with brick walling built round service
door head on hall side leaving rear of door head exposed. Back
to back fireplaces on ground floor, cross-wing one with 2
flues, and single fireplace facing later block on first floor.
All fireplaces have timber lintels. Cruciform chimney, 4
shafts, red brick, mixed bond. Cross-wing extended by one bay
to rear in timber-framing with floor of upper storey of deep
sectioned joists with diminished haunched soffit tenons
(common joists now removed). (4) c1700 lean-to timber-framed
extension to E of cross-wing with rudimentary framing. The
house has part of a rectangular moat surrounding it.
(RCHM: Central and SW Essex : Monument 6: 57).

Listing NGR: TQ5940098154

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26491746

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

• 
  Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability
• 
  Worcestershire Revised Edition (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas and Monuments
• 
  Building Small Projects (New Best of Fine Woodworking)
• 
  Derbyshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)