Description

TQ 65 SW,
1/27

WEST PECKHAM,
MEREWORTH ROAD (south side),
Duke's Place

1.8.52

I

Hall house. Early C15, built as Preceptory of the Knight's Hospitallers, according
to Hasted founded in 1405 by John Culpepper. Close examination shows hall to have
been burnt out C1500. Converted into 7 labourers cottages in C18; restored from
semi-dereliction after last war. L-shaped 2 storeys. North wing. Hall house
of Wealden type joined to later south wing at south-east corner. Timber-framing
with plaster-infilling on stone plinth. Plain tiled hipped roof. South front.
First-floor projection on curved braces to left with casements on both floors.
Hall in centre with 2 storey window to left and high-level 4-light window to
right. Boarded door below in original cast with 4 centred arch leading into
cross-passage of hall. West front. Jettied with bressummer resting on central
supporting post and dragon-posts at ends. North front. Jettied projections
at both ends of 1st floor with wind-braced gables above. Small oriels on 1st
floor of both gable bays. 5-light lattice casement below jetty to left. Central
eaved cornice with bressummer on posts, some jowled, and joists. 2 storey bay
window to right, on brick plinth, recently introduced. Early C16 door to left,
boarded in 4-centred arch with winged rosettes in the spandrels, leading to cross-
passage. East side. Jettied, with moulded dragon-post to right, and 1-storey
lean-to addition to left. South range. Probably C17. Hipped tiled roof with
2 ridge stacks. East front. Close studded framing with irregular fenestration
of casements, mostly introduced when the house was constructed into 7 cottages.
West front. Some jowled posts on 1st floor. Jettied on joists to left, with
curved wind-braces above. Irregular fenestration on both floors. Door with
low rounded arch to left of ground-floor. Later part of south wing to right
set forward, with narrow framing.

INTERIOR: Hall reopened in restoration after last war.
Fine tie-beam truss roof with moulded crown post. Moulded great post
with shafts. Moulded beam around hall, stopped at dais and by curved faces.
Arched braces in wall above buttery and pantry doors, with some carpenters marks.
Paired buttery and pantry doors with 3-centred arched heads. Large C16 fireplace
with breast in brick with carved bressummer. Early C15 timber work in Parlour,
Buttery and Pantry, that in solar dating from time of addition of north-facing
gables. Shall pointed arch surround fireplaces in Parlour and solar above. Of
stair in solar. 1 each, C16 stone fireplace with 5-centred arched surround on
ground-floor of south wing, and 1 with chamfered bressummer, probably later C16
1 mid C16 stone fireplace with shall 4-centred arch on 1st floor of this wing,
as well as crown post with unusual square moulding.

See N M R Recorded Buildings File. (Also Tanner's Notitia Monastica 1744).

Listing NGR: TQ6483552693

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17530234

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

• 
  Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Suffolk: East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Cornwall (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)