Description

PIRTON HITCHIN ROAD
TL 1431 (East side)

7/165 No. 1 (Docwra Manor)
9.6.52 (formerly listed as
The Old Hall)

- II

Remaining wing of a larger house, now extended as a house. Built 1609
for Thomas Docwra (dated armorial plaque formerly on W front reset above
principal 1st floor fireplace) presumably as a W parlour-wing to an
older probably aisled hall-house on E said to have been burned down at
beginning of C19 (Newbery (1983)11). Wing converted to an Inn in C19.
Large E extensions in later C20 not of special interest. Limestone
rubble and flint walling with red brick corners and moulded limestone
windows. N gable roughcast. Masonry walling returns only a short way
along each end of the E wall of the wing, the rest being timber framed
with close-spaced studs and red brick infill where exposed beside the
2-storeys new extension. A large, 2-storeys crosswing planned with 2
large rooms to each floor and a lobby between them with a staircase at
its W end. An original large projecting chimney on W side heated the N
room on each floor. The S part unheated until a corresponding brick W
chimney added in C18. Entrance now by a single-storey flat roofed brick
and flint parapeted porch on W of C19 or C20 date, with arched doorway
and double doors. Upper rooms lit by tall 3-lights ovolo-moulded stone
mullioned window in upper part of each gable end. Wooden C19
ovolo-moulded 3-light sash window to ground floor of gable at each end.
Small 1st floor windows on W side retain their ovolo-moulded stone
surrounds but are lacking mullions. Lower sill of one near middle
indicates a stair window. Original large chimney has sloping offsets, a
cross worked in flints, and a moulded brick cornice. This chimney serves
a ground floor stone fireplace with 4-centred arched head and moulded
jambs. Over the fireplace a plaque with a shield of the Docwra arms and
inscription '1609/EN DIEV EST TOVT'. In C19 The Old Oak Public House.
(RCHM (1911)164-5: VCH (1912)44-5: Pevsner (1977)270: Newbery (1983)11:
RCHM Typescript).

Listing NGR: TL1457731468

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26493809

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

• 
  Building Small Projects (New Best of Fine Woodworking)
• 
  Northumberland (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Suffolk: East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990: Updated version
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Buildings of England)
• 
  London 3: North West: North West v. 3 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)