Well House

Well House

A timber-framed house of late 15th-century origin with extensions probably dating to the late 18th and late 19th centuries, encased in brick around the 1840s.

The house is constructed of timber-framing encased in yellow stock brick laid in Flemish bond, with gauged red brick window arches and a roof covering of red plain clay tiles.

The building has a complex plan form and faces east onto the village green. The three-bay timber-framed element is aligned north-south, with a late 19th-century porch on the east side. To the rear (west) is a large, probably late 18th-century addition, which has a late 19th-century extension on the north side and an early 21st-century conservatory on the west side.

The two-storey house has pitched roofs with parapets and cogged eaves at the gable ends. The principal three-bay elevation features an off-centre two-storey gabled porch containing an early 19th-century six-panelled door and three-pane over-light, with a late 20th-century gabled canopy supported on timber posts above. To either side are recessed early 19th-century six-over-six pane sashes with slender glazing bars on the ground and first floors, except for the windows lighting the first floor of the south bay and the porch, which are replicas. The north elevation presents the gable end, lit on the ground floor by a sash, and on the first floor to the right by another sash.

The recessed rear extension (of probable late 18th-century date) has a 19th-century four-panelled door and a gabled dormer above, followed by the projecting single-storey scullery. The east side of this is blind, and the brickwork of the north gable end has been repaired. It is pierced on the left side by a small 20th-century two-light window, and a gable chimney stack with a tall clay pot rises through the right verge. The west side is lit by a 20th-century casement.

Attached to the west elevation of the rear extension is an early 21st-century gabled conservatory on a brick plinth. The south elevation is lit by an early 19th-century six-over-six pane sash and there is a bricked up doorway to the right. Above is a large 20th-century dormer wholly within the roof space. The west elevation of the main timber-framed range contains a similar window. The south elevation of this range, from the right, presents the gable end which is lit by early 19th-century six-over-six pane sashes on both floors. The roof pitch then falls steeply westwards down to ground-floor level over a large horizontal multi-pane 20th-century window.

Internally, the timber frame is partially exposed and it is likely that the remainder is hidden beneath later plaster. The sill beam is visible along the east and south walls, as are all four corner posts, except the north-west post at ground-floor level. The corner posts at the south end are jowled. The former bay division at the northern end of the ground floor is indicated by a chamfered and stopped bridging joist spanning the principal posts which have mortices for former arch braces. The east wall frame has substantial principal and intermediate posts, but in the southern bay and south end wall, the framing is of slender scantling with down bracing from post to sill beam.

At first-floor level, the west wall has closely spaced framing of large scantling with curved tension braces, heavily weathered, with grooves in the rail where staves were fixed for the wattle and daub. A horseshoe has been inserted between two of the members. The northern bay division has chamfered shallow arch bracing to the tie beam, a graceful piece of carpentry appropriate for the solar. The bay division between the southern bays is indicated by intermediate posts and a chamfered and stopped bridging beam. The roof consists of rough hewn coupled rafters jointed and pegged at the ridge. Cut away sections indicate the position of former collar rafters. The side purlins are supported by inclined struts rising from the tie-beam. Some later bracing has been introduced, including collar rafters which have been nailed into place.

Elements of note in the late 18th and 19th-century additions include the red and black tiled floor in the entrance porch and the front door with its brass lock case. In the rear extension, the curved dogleg stair rises from the north-east corner and has stick balusters supporting a mahogany handrail. The principal room in the extension has exposed beams with a delicate roll moulding along the edges and a parquet floor laid in herringbone. The range survives in the kitchen, as does the copper, glazed ceramic sink and pump in the washroom/scullery.