Finchingfield House

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 30/04/2018

TL 6832 7/42

FINCHINGFIELD THE GREEN (west side) Finchingfield House

(Formerly listed as Hill House)

21.12.67

GV II House. Mid C16, altered in C19 and C20. Timber framed, plastered, roofed with handmade red clay tiles. Two-bay hall range facing east, with two-bay service crosswing to left and two-bay parlour/solar crosswing to right. C20 stack in right bay of hall range, replacing larger original stack in the same position. Additional crosswing to left, projecting to rear, with internal stack, reportedly c.1925.

Two storeys. The front presents five similar gables, concealing the internal arrangement, which is essentially medieval in plan but built in two storeys from the outset. Five-window range of C19 (and reproduction) casements each of three lights with a four-centred arched head, irregularly divided into eight panes, with a moulded label. Some crown glass. C19 door with four-centred arched head in C19 gabled porch with four-centred outer arch and cusped bargeboards with moulded finial. C19/early C20 cusped bargeboards on all gables.

In the right return wall there is a late C16 window of seven lights with ovolo mullions and diamond-leaded glass, blocked internally. The 'hall' has a moulded half-height jowl and moulded transverse and axial beams, the latter stopped and scarfed at the point where the original stack was removed. At the left end of this room there are two moulded service doorways each with a hollow-moulded four-centred arched head, one blocked. The service bay has a moulded axial beam and was originally divided axially. The joists are of horizontal section, moulded in the front art, plain in the rear part. This room is lined with oak panelling of c.1600, painted. The axial beam in the parlour bay is boxed in. On the first floor some close studding is exposed, with curved bracing trenched into it, and a re-sited doorhead of four-centred curvature, plain. One stud in the rear wall of the solar has a painted design of c.1600 in black lines on white, all that remains exposed of a decorative scheme which originally would have covered all the internal plaster and timber work. Probably more painted studwork remains under the plaster. Clasped purlin roof. RCHM 21.

Listing NGR: TL6835932744