Description

HIMBLETON CP SHELL
SO 95 NE
7/170 (9/42)
Shell Cottage
14.3.69
- II*

House. C15. Timber-framed on lias limestone rubble and brick base,
painted brick and rendered infill, thatched roofs. Open hall of two
framed bays aligned north-west/south-east with later inserted first floor
and sandstone and brick fireplace; the fireplace has a brick ridge stack
and lean-to bread oven which projects from the centre of the south-west
elevation; solar and service bays built as outshuts; the service outshut
has been replaced by a mid-C20 addition. Single storey and attic with
dormer. Framing: mainly two panels from sill to wall-plate; solar outshut
has large swept braces in lower corners; mid-rail and wall-plate on both
sides have traces of diamond mullions indicating the former open hall
had tall windows; north-west gable end has a collar and tie-beam truss
with struts; south-east gable end has a clasped purlin truss with a mantel
beam but no tie-beam (Charles). Main south-west elevation: two C19 windows
on the ground floor and an eyebrow dormer to the upper bay; all windows are
2-light casements; ledged and battened C19 door with gabled canopy on shaped
brackets to right of upper bay. Attic lights in north-west gable end.
Solar outshut has three rectangular C20 lights. Interior: roof has an
intermediate arch-braced open truss and three pairs of matched wind-braces
on both sides; each clasped purlin runs full length of roof (30 feet); all
main roof members are chamfered and, together with the rafters, are all
smoke-blackened. Upper end wall-frame to hall has a central post with
flanking swept braces and on each side a shallow triangular headed doorway
into the solar which has a central partition. A similar doorway at the
centre of the north-west gable end led to a combined buttery and pantry
in the former service outshut. The fireplace has a moulded lintel and
there is a winder staircase at the north-east side of the upper bay. A
probably unique example of a medieval hall in miniature; it may have been
the Dower House to Shell Manor (qv). (F W B with Mary Charles, Conservation
of Timber Buildings, 1984, p 221-3; BoE, p 196).

Listing NGR: SO9520059699

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17548920

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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