Priest'S House

DODDINGHURST

TQ59NE CHURCH LANE 723-1/5/316 (North side) Priest's House

GV II

House now church hall. Early C16, early C19. Timber-framed, weatherboarded and plastered with peg-tiled roof. Large rectangular room aligned NE with a small section partitioned off at N end. Parallel block less door added to W in early C19. Central entry passage and doorway between the two. Facade at S end weatherboarded with 3 early C19 sliding sash windows, one in W block and one in E, glazing bars, 4x3 panes, moulded architraves and simple weathering hoods. Central door C20, simple sunk panels. INTERIOR: the E block was converted from a house in 1973 and some of the framing is now exposed and some concealed. Much to the S of the house was removed but the N bay is intact to a considerable extent. It comprises a storeyed end, probably the solar of a medieval house, with heavy studding in outer walls and a partition frame. Also jowled storey posts, tie-beams and a collar. Shutter grooves in both end tie-beams and collar indicate originally one and a half storey construction and peg holes for middle rails support this interpretation. Present doorway through partition apparently on site of original doorway from hall. Hall area much rebuilt and medieval evidence removed or obscured. Wall plates though apparently survive boxed in but central tie-beam exposed in situ with underside mutilated but with evidence of a wall post and the arched braces to the open truss given by redundant joints. Service end of medieval building totally obscured by C19 work. In roof area C19 replacement but central tie-beam has the joint for a crown post and the hall/solar partition tie-beam has a row of mortices for upper partition studding. Both tie-beams are heavily sooted together with a further one towards the S end which is only half the depth of the other 2. It may have been a light upper beam for a spere or screen at the hall low end. Dating evidence is lacking but several well made chamfers with step stops survive. Date of medieval house is before c1560, probably c1500. It is clear that the ground level has risen at least 0.5m since the original build. Head height is now insufficient for medieval window heights. The Priest's House and the Church of All Saints (qv) form a group. (RCHM: Central and SW Essex : Monument 8: 57).

Listing NGR: TQ5890498970