Gents Farmhouse

Gents Farmhouse is a timber-framed house on Hulletts Lane, Pilgrims Hatch, Brentwood. It dates from the mid-16th century with significant additions from around 1600, the 19th century, and the 20th century. The roof is peg-tiled throughout.

The house is L-shaped, comprising two main blocks with a rear linking stair tower, an early out-shut to one unit, and a 20th-century addition. Each block has an exterior chimney-stack.

Externally, the building is two storeys. The front south-west elevation is mostly rendered with imitation timber-framing of large panels, though the end wall posts are original. The ground floor has two 2-light windows flanking a central 20th-century timber-framed and rendered gabled porch with a 20th-century boarded stable-type door. The first floor has three 2-light windows. All windows except two are 20th-century casements with diamond leaded panes. The north-west elevation shows exposed timber-framing with a truncated stack to the south-west. A timber-framed lean-to at the north-east end has a brick-clad north-east wall. The ground floor has a single light casement, a stack, and two single light casements, with a prominent row of large peg holes in the studding below. An out-shut with a 20th-century boarded stable door adjoins this elevation. The first floor, north-east of the stack, has a mullioned window (one mullion old but inserted) and a 20th-century 2-light casement. The rear north-east elevation shows three principal units with the stair tower in an internal right angle, featuring a gabled roof on a north-west to south-east axis. A 20th-century brick flat-roofed addition sits between the stair tower and principal range. The south-east elevation is a rendered gable end with a central stack of small bricks in irregular bond.

Internally, the northern 2-bayed block, dating from around 1550, is the earliest component. It retains a blocked mullioned window in its north-east end wall on the first floor. The joists have flat-laid diminished haunched tenons, though those in the western bay were replaced in the early 17th century with deeper joists featuring lamb's tongue stopped chamfers. At the same period, the southern block of 2 bays was constructed at right angles, using joists with diminished haunches and pendant soffits with lamb's tongue chamfer stops. A corridor between the blocks leads from the new front entry to a contemporary stair tower at the rear, with doorways cut through the early block to facilitate circulation. The stair tower has an octagonal newel post with decorative finial; its bearer rail to the landing features lamb's tongue chamfer stops. The southern stack was added at this time, while the northern stack was substantially rebuilt in the 18th or 19th century.

The house is remarkably similar in plan and dating to the nearby Hulletts. Although their layout differs, both have symmetrical elevations with a contrived central front door and central passage leading to a stair tower.