Old Hall House

Old Hall House is a timber-frame house, likely dating to around 1500, with significant extensions added in the 17th century and a further extension at the rear in the 20th century. The building is largely timber-framed, with the first floor exposed and rendered plaster walls. It has a long straw thatch roof with a timber-framed stack inserted in the 17th century, with the upper eight courses of red brick, and C19 grey brick to the stack. The original plan was three bays, with two bays added to the north in the 17th century, and a small 20th-century extension at the rear.

The southern end of the house is jettied at the first floor, with the exposed first-floor framing featuring close studding with shallow downward bracing, similar to that found at the cross-wing of the Maltings, High Street, Haslingfield. One original window opening remains in the centre bay, with two casements in the jettied end. The original doorway to the centre bay has been blocked, and the present entry is located at the rear, in a small 20th-century hall and staircase addition.

Internally, the three original 15th-century bays are largely intact, with exposed timber framing displaying close studding, unmoulded tie beams, wall plates, and bracing. Jowled main posts feature downward bracing from principal posts to the middle rail in the end walls. A closed truss, originally extending from ground floor to the roof, connects the jettied bay and the centre bay, now open at ground floor. Original flat, unmoulded, substantial joists are present, and a second truss was originally closed at ground floor. Mortices for studwork are visible. The first-floor truss is open with arch bracing to the tie beam. An inserted inglenook fireplace, with a stop-chamfered lintel, is incorporated into the stack’s ground-floor repairs, with framed and plastered sections above. The roof retains its original clasped through-purlin construction with cambered collars and paired and curved wind bracing between purlin and principal rafters; the rafters are halved and pegged at the apex. The two bays to the right were originally open to the roof at the first floor level. The jettied bay includes an earlier ceiling to the first-floor chamber, and original oak lathes are laid over the rafters. The original roof structure remains unaltered, with eight courses of red brickwork supporting the stack.

In 1842, the house was owned by Peterhouse College, Cambridge, and let as two tenements to William Course and William Day.