Description

TQ 64 SE BRENCHLEY FAIRMANS LANE

6/77 Brattles Grange
20.10.54
II

Large house. Circa early C16 origins, thoroughly renovated and enlarged in
1903 to the designs of Albert C. Freeman (Pevsner, West Kent and the Weald
(1976). Framed construction on sandstone footings; peg-tile roof; brick
stacks.

Plan: The house faces east. The core of the building is a C16 3 room lobby
entrance plan, the 2 northern rooms heated by back-to-back fireplaces in an
axial stack. In 1903 the house was altered. The former C16 hall was
converted into a full-height galleried entrance hall with an open well stair
to the rear. The hall fireplace was blocked and the former service end, to
theleft (south) given a fireplace. The house was extended at the south end by
a 2 room plan crosswing in a Vernacular Revival style with various other
additions to the rear o the main range.

Exterior: 2 storeys and attic. Roof gabled at ends; axial stacks to left of
centre and to right of centre, the latter to the rear of the ridge.
Asymmetrical 1:5-window front, the one window to the 1903 addition crosswing,
which is gabled to the front at the left, one window to the right end lean-to.
Close-studded framing, both to the original and to the crosswing, some of the
C16 studs renewed, especially to right of centre. First floor jettied, the
jetty with curved braces. 1903 gabled porch on posts to left of centre with a
coeval Tudor arched doorway with a plank and cover strip front door.
Approximately central blocked doorway to the lobby entrance visible in the
framing. 4 first floor and 5 ground floor 2- and 3-light casement windows of
1903 with square leaded panes, evidence of first and ground floor original
windows in the framing. The right end lean-to is probably 1903 and has a
similar 2-light casement. 3 1903 gabled attic dormers with deep eaves, curly
bargeboards and finials. The crosswing, at the left end, is jettied and
gabled to the front with deep eaves, cusped bargeboards and a pendant and
finial at the apex. 5-light ground floor transomed casement with square
leaded panes; similarly glazed 5-light transomed first floor oriel on curly
brackets; 2-light attic window. The left (south) return of the crosswing has
an attractive 1903 gallery projection, close-studded and in a Vernacular
Revival style. This is gabled to the south with a first floor gallery and an
open vernandah below, the gallery supported on posts. Beyond the gallery, to
the rear (west), the crosswing is brick to the ground floor, tile-hung to the
first floor. The rear elevation of the main range, which includes an outshut
with a lean-to roof and various rear additions, is brick and tile-hung.

Interior: A mixture of early C16 and 1903 features. The right end room of
the main range preserves C16 ceiling beams, fireplace rebuilt. The entrance
hall is almost wholly 1903 with an open wall stair with turned balusters. The
front (east) room of the crosswing is lined with linenfold panelling, said to
havecome from the Victoria and Albert Museum (information from the owner) and
Flemish panelling including projecting carved heads. The rear (west) room of
the crosswing is panelled in an early C18 style. The wall framing visible ont
he first floor has wall posts with flared jowls and tension braces.

Roof: The main range preserves an early C16 crown post roof with plain posts
with 3-way bracing.

The 1903 remodelling of this traditional house is of a high quality.

Listing NGR: TQ6744040392

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26541701

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

• 
  Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  County Durham (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England) by Elizabeth Williamson Nikolaus Pevsner(1983-03-11)
• 
  Gloucestershire 2: The Vale and The Forest of Dean: Vale and Forest of Dean Pt. 2 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  For the Record
• 
  The Shredded Chef: 120 Recipes for Building Muscle, Getting Lean, and Staying Healthy
• 
  Building Small Projects (New Best of Fine Woodworking)