Description

TQ 64 SE PADDOCK WOOD LONGBROOKS

6/327 Nos 1 and 2 Longbrooks
Cottages

II

House, divided into 2 tenanted cottages. Probably mid C15 in origin,
alterations of the circa late C16/early C17; rear addition of circa 1950
following bomb damage. Framed construction on brick footings, the ground
floor rendered, the first floor tile-hung; concrete tile-hanging to the east
end; peg-tile roof; brick stacks.

Plan: The house faces north. It originated as a 2-bay open hall, presumably
with a cross passage entrance to left of centre, with a one-bay storeyed west
end and a one-bay jettied, storeyed east end. The hall was floored in the
circa late C16/early C17 with an inserted stack, converting the entrance to a
lobby arrangement. In the 1950s the house was repaired following bomb damage
and a rear left (south east) kitchen wing was added in a vernacular style.

Exterior: 2 storeys. Roof gabled at the left end, gabletted and hipped at
the right end. Axial stack with a staggered handmade brick shaft, the
corbelled brick cornice renewed; C20 stack at the right end. Asymmetrical 3-
window front (north) elevation with a recessed porch with C20 plank doors into
the 2 cottages. 2-, 3- and 4-light timber C19 and C20 casements, mostly with
glazing bars. The rear elevation is 4:2 windows, the 2 windows to the 1950s
wing, which is tile-hung with some scalloped tiles and jettied on both
returns. Recessed porch with a C20 plank door to the west cottage to left of
centre. C19 or C20 timber casement windows with glazing bars. The left
(east) return of the main block is jettied, the jetty on curved braces. C20
door into the east cottage, into the addition. C20 timber casement windows
with glazing bars.

Interior: Rich in early carpentry. The late C16/early C17 hall has a scroll-
stopped beam on the long axis, exposed joists and a large open fireplace with
brick jambs and a chamfered lintel with scroll stops. The fireplace
incorporates 2 cupboards, one with an C18 2-panel door is said to have been an
oven; a smaller cupboard has butterfly hinges. The higher end preserves the
moulded, brattished dais beam dating from the late medieval phase. The inner
room, to the west, has exposed joists. The east end room has exposed joists
on the long axis. A crossbeam in front of the party wall indicates the east
end of the open hall. The first floor preserves probably C17 doors. The west
end cottage has probably C18 pargetting in all the first floor rooms: this is
a rare survival. The wall-framing has step stops and wall posts with flared
jowls. Blocked fireplace to the chamber over the hall.

Roof: The medieval crown post roof is well-preserved: sooted closed
partitions mark the ends of the open hall. The hall truss has an octagonal
crown post on a chamfered base with a moulded capital and 4-way up braces.
The crown post tie-beam has a chamfered soffit and massive arch braces which
spring from about 1 metre above ground level. The braces were shaped to leave
spaces in the position of the spandrels. Plain crown posts in the partitions
at the ends of the hall had 2-way up braces and curved down braces. Over the
east end there has been some rebuilding of the roof, which was formerly
hipped.

A good example of a well-preserved evolved house of medieval origins.

Listing NGR: TQ6885143374

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26545914

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 by Harwood, Richard (2012) Paperback
• 
  Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy
• 
  Listed Buildings and Other Heritage Assets
• 
  Herefordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  London 6: Westminster (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England): Westminster v. 6
• 
  Georgian Style and Design for Contemporary Living