Kelvedon Grange And Old Kelvedon Grange

Kelvedon Grange and Old Kelvedon Grange comprises two adjoining houses on Ongar Road, Kelvedon Hatch. The building has early 17th century origins with 18th and late 19th century additions. Although described as timber-framed, the visible framing is imitation work. The roofs are peg-tiled.

The structure consists of a north-south range with various rear additions. The front elevation presents two distinct houses: the northern house is two storeys with attics, featuring two symmetrical facade gables, while the southern house rises to a higher eaves level and is two storeys with a gable at the southern end. A notable early 17th century stack with six diagonally set shafts bridges the two houses. Additional stacks include one from the 19th century at the north end and another behind the roof apex towards the south.

The northern house displays a 20th century boarded door in a simple lean-to porch with timber and brick sides and small leaded panes. A late 19th century three-light casement window with leaded lights and glazing bars occupies the ground floor, with each light containing 2x3 panes. First floor windows are sashes with glazing bars: one with 4x4 panes, one with 2x4 panes, and two with 3x4 panes. The attic contains two casements with leaded lights.

The southern house ground floor features two sash windows with 3x4 paned glazing bars. A 19th century timber and brick porch has a gabled hood with pargeted panels and coloured leaded lights; the outer door is framed with fielded panels and the inner door has two lower fielded panels with upper glazing of 3x3 panes. Two additional sash windows with 3x4 paned glazing bars and a 19th century four-light casement window with slight bay feature leaded lights and coloured glass. The first floor contains seven sash windows with 3x4 paned glazing bars. Nearly all windows on the front elevation of both houses are set within 18th century frames with moulded architraves, with the sashes also apparently dating to this period; only the southernmost ground-floor window has a later frame. Nineteenth century two-storey bay windows facing south are casement bays with leaded lights, coloured glass, and pargeted panels in the middle register.

The rear elevation features a twin-gabled section to the south, a central jettied wing, and a north adjunct aligned north-south with a separate gabled roof and mixed fenestration.

Interior evidence of early work is considerably masked. The original house appears to have been early 17th century in plan with three cells, probably two storeys and attic form. The northern terminal roof truss lies between the two facade gables of the north house. A roof partition in the south house immediately above the south side of the front porch probably denotes the length of the original central rooms. The south end of the original house likely corresponds with where the south facade gable begins. The north house ground floor retains original ceiling joists in its southern room, adjacent to the 17th century stack. These comprise a bridging joist and flat-laid common joists with lamb's tongue chamfer stops. The binding joist is similarly decorated and set back well away from the fireplace, with slighter imitation joists filling the gap between them. A smoke bay or deep timber chimney hood may originally have occupied this space.

A terrier of 1610 records the Rectory House as a two-storey building newly built, potentially dating the brick stack inserted into an earlier smoke void. According to the Victoria County History (1956), the early 18th century saw the south end of the central block rebuilt and the roof level raised to create the present south house form. The windows of the west front date to this period and exemplify the appearance of the 18th century house. Substantial 19th century work followed, particularly at the south end, when Reverend D.W. Peregrine spent approximately £4,000 on improvements. He was responsible for the new wing at the south end and ornamental timbering apparently representing a refined version of earlier primary braced walling. The sumptuous refitting and additions around 1900 are apparently also attributable to Peregrine. The south house functioned as the principal residence while the north house served as servants' quarters. The building ceased to be a rectory in 1931 when it was purchased by Bertram Jones of Kelvedon Hall.