Upper House Farmhouse

TL 64 SE STEEPLE BUMPSTEAD 2/42 Upper House 21/6/62 Farmhouse,(formerly listed as Little Waltons Farmhouse) II Manor house, c.1400, altered in C16 and C18. Timber framed, plastered, roofed with handmade red clay tiles. Hall range of 3 bays aligned approx. NE-SW, with 3-bay NE crosswing extending to SE, forming an L-plan. 2 axial chimney stacks in hall range and one in crosswing. C16 2-bay extension to NW of crosswing. Single-storey extension to NW of SW end, weatherboarded with roof of red clay corrugated tiles, C19. Single storey lean-to extension with slate roof between 2 NW wings. Aspect SE. The original crosswing is jettied to NE, SE and SW with heavy plain brackets, wide joists, and dragon beams, and corner posts with moulded bands. The C16 NW extension is jettied to NW only, with narrow plain brackets. The upper floor of the original crosswing has one late C16 inserted window over each jetty, each with one ovolo-moulded mullion and jambs and 2 diamond stiffening bars with modern glass. All other windows and doors C20. The hall range has an inserted floor with plain chamfered axial beams with lamb's tongue stops (partly boxed in) and pegged clamps, late C16. The walls have been raised approx. 1.50 metres and the roof rebuilt in the C18. The crosswing has trait-de-Jupiter scarfs in both wallplates (Hewett 1980, p.263) and short wide curved braces to cambered tiebeams. The crosswing roof was originally of crownpost construction, but was ceiled and rebuilt in clasped purlin form in the late C16. 3 arched doorheads are present at the junction of the hall range and crosswing, all treated with C18/19 embellishment; 2 of these may be original, one is reproduction. RCHM 9.

Listing NGR: TL6949342606