Description

TQ 55 41 SPELDHURST SPELDHURST HILL (north side),
SPELDHURST
12/542 Old Place

GV II

Former farmhouse. Late medieval, probably late C15, with C16 and C17
improvements; modernised with extensions in the early C20. Timber-framed.
Most of the ground floor level is underbuilt with Flemish bond red brick with
burnt headers but the north east end is coursed sandstone at ground floor
level. Most of the framing is hung with peg-tile but some is exposed and that
on the north east end is nogged with old brick (set to various patterns).
Brick stacks, the old ones on stone bases, brick chimneyshafts. Peg-tile
roof.

Plan and Development: The house faces south east. The main block has a 2-
room plan and an axial stack between serves back-to-back fireplaces. 2-room
plan crosswing at the right (north east) end projects forward. Both rooms
have outer lateral stacks. Early C20 extension to rear of main block contains
present stair, kitchen and services with a later flat-roofed extension in the
angle of the rear block and crosswing.

The main block is the late medieval section and was built as an open hall
house. The larger central room was originally open to the roof and heated by
an open hearth fire. The left end was probably floored from the beginning but
was extensively rebuilt in the early C20 when, it seems, the floor level was
altered and a fireplace built onto the back of the hall stack. It was
probably the service end before. Hall stack was inserted in the late
C16/early C17 and hall was floored over at the same time. Crosswing is
probably early C17. The front room was originally unheated and there was a
passage alongside in the main block from the front past the front room to the
rear parlour.

House is 2 storeys with attics in the roofspace.

Exterior: Irregular 3:1-window front of C19 casements, mostly without glazing
bars. Centre window of the main block (to the former hall) is a C20 bay
window. Front end of the crosswing has a C20 doorway behind a contemporary
hip-roofed porch. Present main doorway to rear. Roofs of main block,
crosswing and rear block are gable-ended. The rear block roof is higher than
the main block. Front gable of the crosswing has exposed early C17 close-
studded framing and early C20 shaped bargeboards. North east side wall of
crosswing (overlooking the churchyard) is also close-studded framing and it
returns to the rear. Rear ground floor window an early C17 bay window with
moulded oak mullions. Side wall also includes a couple of small windows
containing diamond panes of old leaded glass.

Interior: The former hall in the main block is relatively well-preserved.
The framed crosswalls each end included moulded and brattished rails, the one
above the fireplace is much defaced. Closed trusses above include large
curving tension braces. Central open truss has a cambered tie beam but the
arch braces have been removed. Crown post above has chamfered corners with
pyramid stops, moulded base and cap, and relatively thin up braces. Original
common rafters with lap-jointed collars. The section over the hall is smoke-
blackened from the original open hearth fire. Late C16/early C17 large brick
fireplace with chamfered oak lintel to the hall and contemporary 4-panel
intersecting beam ceiling, the beams chamfered with step stops. The end room
section of the main block is apparently much altered. Ground floor room has
an unusually tall ceiling with a plain chamfered axial beam. C20 fireplace.
Roof above includes some clean late medieval timbers but has been much
rebuilt.

The early C17 crosswing is largely intact. Here the beams are chamfered with
step stops. Rear parlour fireplace is sandstone with Tudor arch head and
chamfered surround with pyramid stops. Ground and first floor doorways with
moulded surrounds. Crosswall is close-studded at ground floor level and first
floor partition has large curving tension braces. Roof of tie beam trusses
with clasped side purlins and queen struts.

Old Place is one of agood group of varied listed buildings in the vicinity of
the Church of St Mary (q.v.).

Listing NGR: TQ5530941414

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26533837

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

• 
  Kent: North East and East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Listed Buildings and Other Heritage Assets
• 
  Cork: City and County (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
• 
  Sussex: East with Brighton and Hove (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas and Monuments
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990