Poplar Hall Farmhouse

The Poplar Hall Farmhouse is a house dating back to the 15th century, with significant additions and alterations in the 17th century. It is timber-framed and plastered, with a roof covered in handmade red plain tiles. The main range, facing southwest, was built in the 17th century and is a single storey with attics. A two-storey crosswing, from the 15th century, extends to the rear, with a 20th-century internal stack marking the junction. A small 20th-century extension, featuring a catslide roof, sits in the rear angle. The ground floor has two 20th-century bow windows. The first floor has one 20th-century casement window, and one more in a flat-roofed dormer. A 20th-century half-glazed door is located at the front within a gabled porch.

The crosswing juts out to the front and retains one plain bracket. At the rear, the crosswing has a 19th-century horizontal sash window of 2 lights plus 2, and a gablet hip. The ground floor structure of the crosswing is largely concealed by plaster, while the upper floor reveals timber framing with jowled posts, curved braces trenched outside heavy close studding, a cambered central tiebeam with one arched brace exposed, and another likely hidden within an inserted partition. The roof is likely of crownpost construction. The rafters of the original rear hip are visible externally.

The range to the left has unjowled posts, thinner wallplates, one chamfered transverse beam with lamb's tongue stops, and plain joists of square section. The roof is of clasped purlin construction, with many smoke-blackened and reused rafters secured with unsooted pegs at the apex. There are two small 20th-century hearths. The building appeared on a tithe map from 1843, labelled as Old House Farm (held at Essex Record Office D/CT 137).