Description

THORNDON
TM 16 NE
4/71 Buck's Hall
-
GV II*
Manor farmhouse. Mid C14 to rear, early C19 front range forming a double-pile
plan. Renovated c.1970. Red brick front range, the right gable end cement-
rendered. Timber framed and cement-rendered to rear. Plaintiled roof: clay
tiles to front slope. 2 storeys to front, 1½ storeys to rear. 3 windows, mid
C20 3-light mullioned casements with horizontal glazing bars; segmental
arches. Further single-light windows each side of entrance. Central doorway:
C19 4-panel door, C20 gabled open porch on heavy timber posts. Internal stack
in older range, against rear wall of C19 wing. One-storey addition to right
of rear range. Interior. Rear range comprises a 2-bay former open hall of
high quality; the accompanying service end to the right is now replaced by
work of c.1970. In the front wall is a very fine richly moulded ogee-headed
doorway, over 2m high. Within each spandrel is a roundel, one carved with a
sun, the other with 3 mouchettes. A similar but less well preserved doorway
opposite is said to remain, concealed by plaster. The frame has a mid rail;
much of the upper studding survives except in the wall which abuts the front
range. Mid rail along cross-passage has moulding. Wallplate has an edge-
halved and bridled scarf joint about 0.3m long, a very early example of its
type. Within the roofspace both studded gables are intact, the upper one with
undisturbed sooted plaster. Posts supporting open truss have remains of
buttress-shafts. The open truss is of raised-aisle form. A cambered tie beam
has heavy arched braces meeting at the centre: one side of this truss is cut
away but the intact brace has struts to the tie beam and post. The tie beam
carries square queen-posts with inner buttress-shafts carrying further braces
to an upper tie beam, also cambered. Short solid braces to arcade plates, all
intact. The upper tie beam carries a cross-quadrate crown-post with 4-way
bracing. All the original collars and about 70% of the rafters survive. Just
above each arcade plate is a plank cornice set square (cf. a similar
arrangement at Church Farm Stable, Fressingfield). C16 inserted ceiling with
chamfered cross beams and concealed joists. Stair in front range has C17
turned balusters, square panelled newels and contemporary handrail. Remains
of medieval moat.

Listing NGR: TM1670267347

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17540170

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 Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair
• 
  Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas and Monuments
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990
• 
  Cambridgeshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990: Updated version
• 
  Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius (Penguin Art & Architecture)