The Lamb Hotel, Hartley Wintney, Hampshire

Summary

A former hotel, now being converted to domestic use. Of late C16 or early-C17 date with C19 and C20 additions and alterations.

Description

A former hotel, now being converted to domestic use. Of late C16 or early-C17 date with C19 and C20 additions and alterations.

MATERIALS and PLAN: the earliest, northern wing has a timber frame with later brick infill and a tiled roof. The southern end of the east wing is of similar early date and materials and has a carriageway at ground floor level. The buildings are of two storeys and form an L-shaped arrangement with a northern range, running East-West and an eastern range, running north-south on the western side of the High Street.

EXTERIOR: the eastern front, facing the High Street is of three distinct parts: the middle section is tallest and appears to be almost entirely a rebuilding of the later C19, with applied timbers in imitation of framing. It is flanked by lower, gabled wings; that to the right a C19 re-facing of the gable end of an older wing and that to the left of similar, earlier date and timber-framed to the first floor. The brickwork walling and infill along the front is now colourwashed, but old photographs show that the brickwork originally had various diaper patterns. The left, southern, gable has brick walling to the ground floor with a square-headed carriage way at ground floor level, flanked to its right be a four-pane sash window with cambered head. The first floor has an exposed truss to the gable, with tie, collar and yolk and a three-light casement set between the queen struts which connect the tie to the collar, and support the purlins. To the right of this the rebuilt, C19 portion has applied timber framing to its upper body, including X-bracing and long diagonals. At ground floor left is a wide window of five sash lights and to its right are similar windows of two lights and one light, this last replacing a former doorway. The first floor has two, four-light sash windows. The re-fronted gable end to right again has a door at left with moulded surround and paired, four-light sashes to its right. At first floor level is a further, four-light sash.

The northern flank of the building has late-C16 timber-framed walling with four principal bays subdivided by small framing. To far right and left are heavy arched braces which connect uprights to the wall plate. Random fenestration consists of C19 or C20 casements. There appear to be blocked windows at first-floor level and at least one blocked doorway to the ground floor. Beyond this a further bay is clad in brick, but continues the building line and ridge. At right of centre is a C19 and C20 addition at ground-floor level with lean-to and flat roof. At right again a lower, late-C19 service range has blank brick walling.

In the yard at the rear of the building, the south front of the northern wing has an extensive, late-C19 addition with lean-to roof which masks the ground floor. Above this and recessed at first-floor level, the original wall of the wing is colourwashed, but the outline of an arched brace and an upright can be seen. The rear of the late-C19 central section of the road front is blank at ground floor level with two windows to the first floor. At right, the rear of the former carriageway is now masked to its lower body by a C20 gabled addition at ground-floor level and a C21 ground-floor brick extension with flat roof extends to the left of this, but the timber-framing above the carriage entrance can be seen behind this.

INTERIOR: the north wing has chamfered ceiling beams and joists with stepped end stops to the ground floor. At first floor level are jowled posts, arched braces and close-set uprights to partitions and external walls and wide, elm floorboards. At the western end planted timbers have been used as supports where the space has been opened out by later additions and a steel beam supports a section of the ceiling joists.

The later-C19, middle portion of the street front range has been opened out internally and dividing walls have been removed on both floors. Few original features remain in this part of the building.

The upper floor above the carriage arch has timber-framing to both gable walls and exposed purlins.

History

The majority of the eastern end of the northern wing dates from the C16 and the upper portion of the southern gabled range which now has a cart entrance to the ground floor appears to be of approximately the same date. The Ordnance Survey (OS) map published in 1872 shows the original length of the northern wing of the pub to have been shorter at its eastern end than at present. Immediately to the south of this wing was a covered entrance through to the yard, which lay to the west of the range fronting the street. By the time of the OS map of 1896 there was a uniform line to the street front, caused by an extension at the eastern end of the north wing. The covered entrance to the yard had also been removed and it is likely that the central portion of the street front was rebuilt in the period between the publication of these two maps. This rebuilt portion, of late-C19 date, is of lesser interest.

By the time of the 1911 OS map the present entrance to the yard at the far south of the entrance front is identified on the map, apparently caused by cutting through the ground floor of a pre-existing, gabled range. At the southern end of the site a building facing the street and adjoining the hotel front, is shown on the OS maps including that published in 1931. This is believed to have been a bakery and had disappeared by the time of the 1976 OS map. Permission was granted for its demolition in 1949 (General Development Order 1947. HWR 276 DI) and the site became the hotel car park, but has recently (May 2019) been redeveloped as housing. The area to the west of the yard entrance was also built over in the C20.

The Lamb is positioned on the western side of the A30, formerly a major route from London to Southampton, and must have catered to passing trade. Hartley Wintney was noted for the number of coaching inns according to the C17 diarist Celia Fiennes. The hotel also appears to have been a centre for community activities in the C19. Court Leets met in the building and it was the starting point for coaches connecting the town to the railway.

The C19 former brewhouse, to the north of the hotel, was converted to domestic accommodation and has now been demolished. The building no longer operates as an hotel and is in the course of sub-division and conversion to domestic use.

Reasons for Listing

The Lamb Hotel, High Street, Hartley Wintney, Hampshire is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

Architectural interest:

* the building contains a significant quantity of C16 and C17 timber framing of quality;
* the plan indicates a sizeable structure which was either built as an inn, for those using the London to Southampton road, or else converted to one at a relatively early date.

Historic interest:

* the building is the last surviving example of a series of coaching inns located in Hartley Wintney and indicates the history of travel by road in England prior to the introduction of turnpike roads.

Group value:

* the Lamb Hotel has group value with the Baptist Church, the Former District Council Offices (formerly Monachus House), Kenward House and wings and Park Corner (all in the High Street and all Grade II).

External Links

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