Description

TL 43 SW HORMEAD BRICK HOUSE LANE
(North side)
Great Hormead

2/57 The Brick House
19.10.51

- II*

House. Circa 1570 for Thomas Brand of Lambeth, Yeoman (RCHM Typescript)
restoration 1954-8, small extensions to N and E in 1980's. Small red
brick in English bond with old red tile roofs. A tall 2 storeys and
attics brick tower-house unique in Hertfordshire. Rectangular main block
has 2 small square towers attached at opposite corners, 2 massive
chimneys projecting from the W wall, and a tall stair tower projecting
further between them. The plan has the square hall occupying 2/3 of the
Ground Floor entered from the E, separated by a timber framed wall from
the kitchen and a cross passage at the N end. A larder or store occupies
the NE tower off the former cross passage to an outside door on N wall,
there is a large oven projecting from the kitchen fireplace, and the
stair is entered from the NW corner of the hall beside its wide
fireplace. A small parlour with wall recesses occupies the SW tower off
the hall. The main entrance was moved to the S face of the NE tower in
1950's. The main chambers on 1st floor have small rooms off in the towers
and there were 4 attic rooms. The projecting gables have crowstepped
parapets and 3 casement windows one to each floor. Windows have square
heads, chamfered surrounds with labels over and heavy 2-light mullioned
timber frames. Small chamfered openings about 8 x 3 inches with labels
light upper floors and staircase tower. Tumbled brickwork offsets to
chimney on W. Exposed timbers in house, and clasped purlin roofs with
windbraces. House unique in county in combining rooms appropriate to a
prosperous yeoman with brick walling unknown at vernacular level and
tower house plan. (RCHM (1911)103 no.4: VCH(1914)69-70: Pevsner
(1977)152-3: RCHM Typescript).

Listing NGR: TL4125831050

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17554290

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 Care and Repair
• 
  Somerset: South and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Buildings of England)
• 
  Suffolk: West: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Period Property Manual (New Ed)
• 
  Cambridgeshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)