Description

TL 82 NW STISTED TAN OFFICE
(north-east side)

2/301 Nos. 1 and 2,
Pickstone's Cottages

GV II

Wrongly shown on OS map as Peckstone's Farm. House, now 2 cottages. Circa
1500 or earlier, extended in C17, altered in C19 and C20. Timber framed,
plastered, roofed with machine-made red plain tiles. 2-bay hall facing NW with
2 originally storeyed end bays. C17 one-bay extension to right. 2 C20 flat-
roofed single-storey extensions to rear. The building has been symmetrically
divided into 2 cottages, with a central stack (probably C17) and C19/20 external
stacks at each end. One storey with attics. Ground floor, 6 C20 casements with
rectangular and diamond leading, and 2 at half-floor level with diamond leading.
2 C20 casements in gabled dormers. 2 C20 doors with corbelled flat canopies.
Jowled posts. All internal tiebeams missing. In the front wallplate, to right
of centre, is a rebate with angled ends, believed to be for the shutters of the
hall window, indicating that the parlour/solar bay was at the right of the hall.
The post near the middle of the rear wall of the hall has a long chase-mortice
for a former brace to the middle tiebeam. To left of the stack is an inserted
floor of c.1570, comprising a chamfered transverse beam with step stops lodged
at the rear end, supported on a prick-post at the front, and a chamfered axial
beam with lamb's tongue stops; the joists are plastered to the soffits. To
right of the stack is an inserted floor comprising a chamfered axial beam with
lamb's tongue stops, and plain joists of square section jointed to it with
soffit tenons and diminished haunches, apparently flooring the 'high' end of the
hall and the former parlour/solar bay in one. The mantel beam of a wood-burning
hearth is exposed on this side, blocked below for a C20 grate. The left bay
(originally the service bay) has an axial beam with mortices of a former
partition, and plain joists of square section which have been raised
approximately 0.25 metre, on nailed clamps. The tiebeam at this end has a
chamfered cut-out below with step stops, for a C16 inserted window. The C17
extension to right has plain joists of square section. The roof is reported to
have been thatched until renovation in the 1930s. The tithe award of 1840
records Peckstones as a farm of 22 acres belonging to the Free School of Earl's
Colne (Essex Record Office, D/CT 355). It is shown on an estate map of the same
foundation in 1623 (Essex Record Office, D/Q 6/35).

Listing NGR: TL8060325230

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26465343

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

• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair
• 
  Wiltshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Norfolk 1: Norwich and North-East: Norwich and North-east v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2
• 
  Renovating Old Houses: Bringing New Life to Vintage Homes (For Pros By Pros)
• 
  Kent: North East and East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)