Description

TL 5557 GREAT WILBRAHAM TEMPLE END

Outbuilding, at
14/122 Wilbraham Temple
31.8.62 (formerly listed as
Outbuildings)
GV
II*

The solar wing of a manor house, late C15, associated with the
Knights Hospitallers, successors to the Knights Templars from
whom the site obtains its name. Now an outbuilding of Temple
House. Timber frame, plaster rendered with plain tiled gabled
roof. Single range in three bays, with later outshut at rear
and stack inserted at same time between outshut and wing.
Originally two storeys and attic, now two storeys. The three
windows in the front and the doorway and window in the right
hand gable end are all C19 or C20, but the doorway in the left
hand gable end is original and has a four centred hollow moulded
arch in a square head. There is a little inserted studwork in
this gable end wall. Interior: Ground floor has ogee moulded
intersecting main beams, and principal posts. The first floor
is in three bays with the bay nearest the present house possibly
a bed chamber and originally being divided from the centre bay
by a partition wall and having an attic storey above and
similarly divided from the other bays. Mortices for the studs
of the partition wall are visible in the tie beam and in the
collar. The wall plate in this bay is richly carved with a
double cornice of double ogee moulding divided by a band of
folded leaf ornament. The ceiling has been removed but the ends
of the main beam over this bay survive in the tie beam and have
hollow mouldings with a roll to the soffit. Similarly only the
ends of the joists of the same ceiling remain in the wall plate
and these have identical but smaller mouldings. The wall
framing is of fine, close set, studwork. There is a tabled
scarf joint in one wall plate. The other two bays at first
floor level were open and there is no evidence of an attic
storey above. There are plain chamfer stops to the wall plate
and cambered tie beams. It is uncertain how this solar wing was
heated. The inglenook in the ground floor is C17-C18 and
possibly replaces an earlier hearth possibly the hearth of the
hall. Above there are some signs of a fireplace, but the wall
plate has pegholes at regular intervals indicating a framed
wall. The roof is of tenoned side purlin construction with
short curved wind braces between principals and the purlin.
Both tie beams and collars are cambered. It is possible that
this building formed part of the private apartments of a
commandery of the Knights Hospitallers.
R.C.H.M: Record card
M. Wood: The English Medieval House
H.P. Stokes: History of the Wilbraham Parishes (1926) p.29
V.C.H: II p.263

Listing NGR: TL5532157969

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17550565

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.

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