The Ancient House

TL 64 SE STEEPLE BUMPSTEAD CHAPEL STREET 2/63 21/6/62 The Ancient House

GV II*

Hall house, C15, altered in C16 and C20. Timber framed, plastered, roofed with handmade red clay tiles. 2-bay hall aligned approx. N-S, aspect W, with integral service bay to S and 3-bay crosswing to N, jettied to the W. Late C16 axial chimney stack in N bay of hall, early C17 external stack on N side of crosswing, C19/20 external stack at S end. Single-storey extensions to N and E of crosswing. 2 storeys in crosswing, remainder of one storey with attics. C20 door, 5 C20 metal casement windows. 4 plain brackets and exposed joists below jetty. First floor, one C20 metal casement window and one more in gabled dormer. Grouped diagonal shafts on central and N chimney stacks, rebuilt C19/20. The interior has jowled posts, heavy studding and cambered tiebeams. The crosswing has a plain-chamfered binding beam with broach stops, and plain joists of horizontal section. There is a large blocked unglazed window in the E wall of the hall, divided by a late C16 inserted floor on pegged clamps, with all joists of horizontal section, plain-chamfered with lamb's tongue stops. There are edge-halved and bridled scarfs in both wallplates, and the original crownpost roof is substantially present, heavily smoke-blackened, but the central crownpost and collar-purlin are missing. At the S end of the hall the upper studs retain original wattle and daub infill, heavily smoke-blackened. The crosswing has a plain crownpost with curved braces to the collar-purlin; above this the roof has been rebuilt in softwood. There are 2 C16 moulded doors in the crosswing, one at the entrance to the parlour and possibly in its original position, the other re-positioned on the first floor. On the ground floor a section of C16 panelling has been re-used as a door. RCHM 18.

Listing NGR: TL6808941129