Old Hall House

MELBOURN LITTLE LANE TL 3844 (South west side) 24/186 Nos. 2, 4 (Old Hall House). GV II

House. Late medieval, probably c.1500, extended by two bays to the north in C17 and again at the rear in C20. Timber-frame, exposed at first floor, with plaster rendered walls and long straw thatch roof with end stack, also timber framed, inserted in C17. The eight upper courses are of red brick with C19 grey brick to stack. Three bay plan and two bays to the north added C17. Small C20 extension at rear. Two storeys with the end to the south jettied at first floor. Framing exposed at first floor. Close studding of uniform scantling with shallow downward bracing similar to that of the cross-wing to the ltaltings, High Street, Haslingfield, Cambs. (q.v.). One original window opening with sill, to the centre bay. Jettied end has two casements. The original doorway to the centre bay is now blocked. The present entry is now at the rear in a small C20 hall and staircase addition. C17 two bay addition at the North end. Framed and plastered. Thatched roof at lower ridge and eaves level. Inside: The three bays of the C15 house are intact. The timber framing is exposed. Close studding, unmoulded tie beams, wall plates and bracing and jowled main posts with downward bracing from principal posts to middle rail in end walls. There is a closed truss between the jettied bay to the left hand and the centre bay. The closed truss extended from ground floor to the roof. It is now open on ground floor. It would seem that the house has always been floored, despite the blackening in the roof and elsewhere indicating an open hall. The joists are contemporary with the rest of the frame. They are laid flat, unmoulded and substantial. The timbers are weathered externally. The second truss was closed at ground floor. There are mortices forstudwork. At first floor the same truss is open and has arch bracing to the tie beam. The inserted inglenook fireplace is red brick with stop-chamfered lintel, now incorporated in the repairs to the stack at ground floor. Above the brickwork the stack is framed and plastered. In the roof eight courses of red brickwork rest on the framing of the stack. The C15 roof remains unaltered. It is of clasped through purlin construction with cambered collars and paired and curved wind bracing between purlin and principal. The principal rafters are cut to accommodate the purlin. Rafters are halved and pegged at the apex. The two bays to the right hand were open to the roof at first floor level. The jettied bay has a much earlier ceiling to the first floor chamber. There are original oak lathes laid over the backs of the rafters. In 1842 the house was owned by Peterhouse College, Cambridge and let as two tenements to William Course and William Day.

Tithe Map: C.R.0. P.117/27/20 V.C.H. Cambs. Vol. 8, p.73

Listing NGR: TL3827144646