Description

MORETONHAMPSTEAD COURT STREET (south side), SX 7586 Moretonhampstead 8/108 No. 1 - GV II

House with shop premises, originally probably only a house. Circa late C15 or early C16 with later C16 and early C17 alterations, extended probably in C18 and remodelled in C19. Stuccoed granite rubble with some cob. Asbestos slate roof replacing thatch, hipped at left (east) end and gabled end abutting No. 3 to right. Original plan and later development uncertain but it is likely to have been 3 rooms possibly divided by low screens. Position of passage and orientation uncertain although the left (east) end is physically the lower end. The right (west) end was probably the hall, possibly of 2 bays which would mean No. 3 (q.v.) was the higher end. No. 3's roof is also smoke-blackened but it is a later structure at a higher levels In C16 or early C17 floors were inserted, probably the ends first and lastly the hall was floored when the hall stack was inserted. It appears to be an axial stack. Probably in C18 the left (east) end was extended a little to the left (east) and rear and a lateral rear stack was built to heat the back room of a divided east end. The eaves were raised probably when floors were inserted and possibly again in C19 when the exterior was remodelled and the shop inserted in the left (east) end and a lean-to added to the rear south. 2 storeys. 3-window range. First floor 3 late C19 sashes with horizontal glazing bars only. Ground floor C20 3-light casement to right, small plate glass window at centre, and small late C19 double-fronted shop to left which continues around left- hand return. Shop has plate glass windows and simple fascia. The left-hand return end (east), 3-window range of late C19 sashes with horizontal glazing bars only the rear facing Pound Street has splayed corner to right, rendered lateral stack to right and stone rubble lean-to with rounded corner to left. Interior: 3 smoke-blackened trusses over west (left) end. East truss smoke- blackened on both sides, more heavily on west side, triangular apex block, apex notched for diagonal ridge, and principals trenched door purlins, smoke-blackened rafters set on back of principals, side pegged morticed almost straight collar with plastered wattle and daub panel above smoke-blackened on both sides. Middle truss also entirely smoke-blackened with plated yoke halved into apex held by nails and with very small notch on top presumably for diagonal ridge. These principals have holes for threaded purlins and cambered collar with chamfered soffit morticed to principals. The west truss is also smoke-blackened on both sides, threaded diagonal ridge end threaded purlins. Later plaster conceals collar. Later truss in adjoining building No. 3 (q.v.) abuts at higher level. It is lightly smoke-blackened. The cut-off trenched purlins would have continued over roof of No.1. The east end appears to have been at one time the parlour and has framed ceiling with intersecting beams with ogee and hollow moulding and similarly moulded joists with run-out stops. The half beams of this ceiling are not against the east and north walls showing how these walls have been rebuilt enlarging the room. An C18 stack with fireplace was built on north side and has timber corbels supporting the half beam of the earlier framed ceiling. On the west side of the room part of a plank and muntin screen exists under a plastered partition. The ceiling beam in the west room, probably the hall, has been covered over and the fireplace blocked. This is among the earliest buildings in Moretonhampstead Town and one only 4 or 5 with Medieval smoke-blackened roof timbers. Medieval roofs are rare in towns. The roof truss with the unusual apex yoke is particularly noteworthy.

Listing NGR: SX7527286027

External Links

• Wikidata Q26595300

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

• 
  Suffolk: East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  England's Post-War Listed Buildings
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Buildings of England)
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects by Harwood, Richard (2012) Paperback
• 
  Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Suffolk: West: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)