Description

KELVEDON HATCH

TQ59NE KELVEDON HALL LANE
723-1/5/433 (West side)
27/08/52 Germains
(Formerly Listed as:
BRENTWOOD
KELVEDON HALL ROAD, Kelvedon Hatch
Germains House)

II

House. Possibly C14, early C15, early C16, C17, C18, C20.
Timber-framed, roughcast rendered with some weatherboarding,
roof peg-tiled. H-plan, principal range and cross-wings E and
W. W cross-wing extends deeply at rear (to N).
EXTERIOR: 2 storeys. S front elevation, all windows except one
are sashes with glazing bars, 3x4 panes. Frames are C18 with
some sashes renewed. Main range, ground floor, 3 windows and
C20 doorway to E end with flat hood on shaped brackets and
door, C19, 6 flush panels, upper 2 now glazed. Main range
first floor, 2 windows set over 2 outer ones below. Cross-wing
and gable ends each one ground floor and one first-floor
window. W wing inner E face has first-floor window. E wing
inner W face has ground floor C20 picture window. Rear, N,
elevation - main range has principal lateral stack flanked by
projecting cross-wings. Wing to E shows joints indicating
reduction (probably one bay). Wing to W has single-storey
extension to N with half hipped roof, peg-tiled. Windows C20
casements, irregular spacing. Central range - space between
stack and W wing, ground floor one narrow window with top
opening and single 2-light metal window of 4x3 panes. Above,
first floor, single 2-light casement. E cross-wing lower part
weatherboarded - C20 boarded door with decorative ironwork and
2-light casement alongside. First floor, single 3-light
casement. W cross-wing extension has lower part weatherboarded
and two C20 2-light windows also door with 4 panels, upper 2
glazed. W elevation of W cross-wing - catslide roof to
weatherboarded lean-to. Two 4-light casements, each side of
deep glazed unit. Also upper and lower C20 casements on
recessed wall to N. N extension, lower part weatherboarded and
two 2-light casements. E cross-wing, E face, central C18/19
exterior stack - to N weatherboard below and old pargeting of
plasterwork above in zigzag pattern.
INTERIOR: shows cross-wings differing in styles but both
medieval. W one, C15, of 4 bays, originally jettied to S
front. Massive joists, 0.23 x 0.15m (9 x 6 inches) flat laid,
centre tenon joints. 2 stair traps. First floor stout but
small braces to tie-beams, crown post roof, 2 way bracing, no
decoration, edge halved and bridled scarf joint in wall plate.
S gable tie-beam has internal hollow chamfer. E cross-wing
only 3 bays now left, elegant step stop chamfers on principal
framing and binding joists. Roof of clasped side purlin form,
curved with braces and elegant, solid arched braces fitted
against rafters and collars all to appear as one. Part of high
end display arched braces on face towards site of medieval
hall. Central range rebuilt in elm with face halved and bladed
scarfs and raised to 2 storeys with a large lateral fireplace
at rear of central room with bricks and mortar of C17 type
although exterior brickwork now all C18 with burnt headers and
tumbled shoulders. Roof of joggled, butted side purlin type -
heavy side purlins but common rafters of uniform scantling,
sooted and with many skewed side lap joints (no mortice and
tenons). These must be from an earlier medieval open hall on
site, perhaps as early as the C14. Hall provided with a
lateral fireplace in the C17 and raised either then or in the
C18 when the present window frames were fitted. E cross-wing
principal roof trusses have centre section cut out to leave
space to walk through. Some vertical members inserted to
stabilise cut trusses are sooted rafters from old hall. As
centre roof and cross-wings are at exactly the same level it
is most likely that the raising of the hall area to 2 storeys
did not occur until the C18 when all the work was done at one
time, enabling spare old sooted rafters to be used for various
jobs. Although no standing evidence of the medieval hall
survives, the high (E) and low (W) wings retain their original
status as solar and service. RCHM notes that the house has a
fragmentary moat. Morant traces the ownership from 1372 to
1751.
(RCHM: Central and SW Essex : Monument 3: 142; Morant P: The
History and Antiquities of the County of Essex: 1768-: 185).

Listing NGR: TQ5580199223

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26491785

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

• 
  Sussex: East with Brighton and Hove (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  [(Shropshire)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1958)
• 
  Somerset: South and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  ENGLAND GUIDE TO POST WAR LISTED: A Guide to Post-war Listed Buildings
• 
  Somerset: North and Bristol: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Building Small Projects (New Best of Fine Woodworking)