Description

TL 63 SE FINCHINGFIELD UPPER WALTHAM CROSS

3/98 Oastwood

17.5.85 II

A mid C18 cottage, altered and extended to the rear and west in the C20.

MATERIAL
Timber framed, plastered and roofed with asbestos covering on the front pitch and plain tiles to the rear.

PLAN
Two room plan to the C18 building.

EXTERIOR
The cottage is of one storey with attics, 2 bays facing south, with an external chimney stack on right end and a C20 two storey extension at the left. The façade has a C20 door to the left, with C20 casements to the right and in the swept dormer above. The rear has an inserted French door and lean-to conservatory at ground floor and small dormer at attic level.

INTERIOR
The interior is said to have chamfered axial beams and exposed joists of vertical section, but these are obscured by an inserted ceiling. The wall and cross framing is fully present on the ground floor, with the exception of the sole plate which has either been obscured or replaced. The framing is of variable scantling, pegged or bolted in place. At the east gable end there is a small fireplace with C18 and C19 brick. The winder stair on the front left corner has refaced treads and risers and leads to a small attic with late C20 partition walls. The wall framing survives at first floor level, and incorporates some reused timbers; the west and east gable ends have midrails and tie beams, the latter with iron strapping. The wall plates have bolted scarf joints. The lower roof structure is apparent and comprises common rafters and side purlins. It is probable that the roof carried a thatch covering originally.

The C20 extension to the west integrates with the historic build only at ground floor, the first floor being separate. It has no historic interest.

HISTORY
Petches Bridge, a historic crossing point of the river Pant, is located between the three Essex villages of Great Bardfield, Finchingfield and Wethersfield.Oastwood was probably built in the 1760s as a humble cottage adjacent to a pair of semi-detached cottages of the same date. The latter were knocked through later, refurbished and greatly extended during the last 40 or so years and are now known as Petches Yew Farm. Since Oastwood was listed, permitted extensions were added to the west in 1987 and a conservatory to the rear in 1993.

REASONS FOR DESIGNATION DECISION
Oastwood, Petches Bridge is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons.
* It retains a complete timber frame, which although of modest quality in part, displays some craftsmanship in construction and is representative of the vernacular building tradition in a humble cottage.
* The historic building retains evidence of its earlier plan-form and has not been compromised by the C20 extensions.
Listing NGR: TL6987930568

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26622173

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

• 
  Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas and Monuments
• 
  Central Leinster: Kildare, Laois and Offaly (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
• 
  The Listed Buildings and Other Principal Structures at the Royal Gunpowder Mills Waltham Abbey
• 
  Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2
• 
  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Norfolk 1: Norwich and North-East: Norwich and North-east v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)