Cooks Farmhouse

Cooks Farmhouse, on the north side of Crow Green Lane in Pilgrims Hatch, Brentwood, is a timber-framed house of late medieval origin with significant 17th, 19th and 20th century alterations.

The house comprises a principal rectangular block with a late medieval timber frame, rendered and colour-washed, with a peg-tiled roof. A 20th century rear wing stands at the north-west end and a 20th century porch at the south-east end. The principal block is one and a half storeys with a mansard roof, adjoining a two-storey cross-wing at the south-east end with a hipped roof.

The south-west front elevation features a central brick stack projecting through the roof apex. Three ground-floor windows are matched by gabled dormers above. All windows are 20th century two-light casements with single horizontal glazing bars in 2x2 pane configuration. The 20th century gabled porch has single side lights and a boarded door with rectangular upper light. The cross-wing shows a horizontal break in rendering, probably marking the original position of a jetty now removed. This end has one upper window and two lower windows, all matching the principal range's casement style.

The rear north-east elevation is similarly rendered. The central range contains a three-light casement window on the ground floor and a simple gabled dormer with two-light casement above. A lean-to brick porch with boarded door projects at this end. The cross-wing displays a mid-height wall break suggesting former jettying. The south-east end has a gabled porch with stable-type boarded door. The 20th century north-west wing has brick on the ground floor and rendered upper wall beneath a half-hipped roof, with two-light casement and stable door on the ground floor, plus dormer windows above.

The south-east end elevation features a hipped roof, external stack with broad base, and a 20th century gabled porch. The north-west gable end shows mansard roofing above the old range.

The interior has been considerably rebuilt with front and back walls now in brick. A medieval timber-framed cross-wall survives between the central range and cross-wing, positioned as the high end of the original hall. An original doorway through this wall is evident to the rear. The hall probably once had a central crown post. When the principal stack was built off the apex, it was positioned to avoid this post. Both floors inserted in the cross-wing and hall, probably around 1600, feature slender joists with lamb's tongue stopped chamfers on the principal bridging joists. Primary braced timber-framing remains visible in the upper bay end wall of the hall. The 18th or 19th century mansard roof indicates substantial rebuilding before 20th century refurbishment and extensions. The south-east stack, internally covered and externally rendered and rebuilt, is probably early 17th century, dating to when the floors were inserted.