The Moot Hall

TL 64 SE STEEPLE BUMPSTEAD CHURCH STREET 2/59 The Moot Hall, also known 7/8/52 as The Old School House II* GV

Market hall, late C16, altered in C18, restored 1890 and 1923. Timber framed, plastered with exposed framing, roofed with handmade red clay tiles. Square plan in 2 bays, jettied to NE and SW, with external chimney stack on SE side and stair tower on NW side. 2 storeys. NE elevation, central 4-panel door, 2 C20 metal casement windows on ground floor and one on first floor. Exposed joists under jetty with 2 scrolled brackets, original. Above, exposed close studding with reproduction arched braces. Roof hipped. The SW elevation has a base wall of red brick approx. 1 metre high, and above it 5 blocked 'shop' windows with 4-centred arched heads, much restored; the most westerly is entirely reproduction. Above, exposed close studding with reproduction arched braces. The original brick chimney on the SE side has an arched recess in the base with moulded label. The interior of the ground floor has a plain-chamfered axial beam with lamb's tongue stops, exposed joists of horizontal section which originally were plastered to the soffits, and C18 fielded pine panelling. Originally the ground floor was mainly unwalled, possibly with 4 stalls on the SW side, but was enclosed for use as a school in the C18. The first floor has jowled posts, angle ties for the hip rafters, and crossed beams connecting the mid-wall posts, the rafters boarded to the soffits. Originally the only hearth was on this floor. The stair tower was originally an open structure with arched braces which remain in situ, but the restoration has added false jetties on 2 sides and a false shop window to the SW. RCHM 10.

Listing NGR: TL6801741052