Germains

Germains is a house possibly dating from the 14th century, with phases of development extending through the early 15th, early 16th, 17th, 18th, and 20th centuries. The building is timber-framed with roughcast rendering and some weatherboarding, with a peg-tiled roof. It follows an H-plan, comprising a principal range with cross-wings extending to the east and west, the western wing extending deeply at the rear to the north.

The exterior displays two storeys. On the south front elevation, all windows except one are sashes with glazing bars in 3x4 pane configurations. The frames are 18th century in date, though some sashes have been renewed. The main range at ground floor has three windows and a 20th-century doorway positioned at the east end, fitted with a flat hood on shaped brackets and a 19th-century six-panel door with the upper two panels now glazed. At first-floor level, the main range has two windows set above the outer two below. Each cross-wing and gable end contains one ground-floor and one first-floor window. The west wing has a first-floor window on its inner east face, whilst the east wing's inner west face contains a 20th-century picture window at ground level.

The north elevation shows the main range with a principal lateral stack flanked by projecting cross-wings. The east wing displays joints indicating a reduction, probably of one bay. The west wing has a single-storey extension to the north with a half-hipped peg-tiled roof. Windows throughout this elevation are 20th-century casements with irregular spacing. Between the central stack and the west wing, the ground floor has one narrow window with a top opening and a single two-light metal window of 4x3 panes; above at first-floor level is a single two-light casement. The east cross-wing has its lower part weatherboarded, with a 20th-century boarded door with decorative ironwork and a two-light casement alongside; the first floor has a single three-light casement. The west cross-wing extension is weatherboarded at its lower part and has two 20th-century two-light windows and a four-panel door (upper panels glazed). The west elevation of the west cross-wing includes a catslide roof to a weatherboarded lean-to with two four-light casements either side of a deep glazed unit, plus upper and lower 20th-century casements on a recessed wall to the north. The north extension has weatherboarded lower sections and two two-light casements. The east cross-wing displays a central 18th or 19th-century exterior stack; to the north the weatherboard gives way to old pargeting of plasterwork above in a zigzag pattern.

The interior reveals the cross-wings to be of differing but both medieval styles. The western wing dates to the 15th century and spans four bays, originally jettied to the south front. It features massive joists measuring 0.23 by 0.15 metres (9 by 6 inches) laid flat with centre tenon joints, and two stair traps. The first floor has stout but small braces to tie-beams. The crown post roof exhibits two-way bracing with no decoration, with an edge halved and bridled scarf joint in the wall plate. The south gable tie-beam has an internal hollow chamfer.

The east cross-wing survives with only three bays and displays elegant step stop chamfers on the principal framing and binding joists. The roof is of clasped side purlin form, curved with braces and elegant solid arched braces fitted against rafters and collars all appearing as one. Part of the high end displays arched braces facing the site of the medieval hall.

The central range was rebuilt in elm with face halved and bladed scarfs and raised to two storeys, featuring a large lateral fireplace at the rear of the central room constructed with bricks and mortar of 17th-century type, though the exterior brickwork is now all 18th century with burnt headers and tumbled shoulders. The roof is of joggled butted side purlin type with heavy side purlins but common rafters of uniform scantling, sooted and exhibiting many skewed side lap joints without mortice and tenon connections. These elements derive from an earlier medieval open hall possibly dating as early as the 14th century. The hall received a lateral fireplace in the 17th century and was raised to two storeys either then or in the 18th century when the present window frames were installed. The east cross-wing principal roof trusses have their centre sections cut out to provide a walking space; vertical members inserted to stabilise the cut trusses include sooted rafters from the old hall. As the central roof and cross-wings are at precisely the same level, the raising of the hall to two storeys likely occurred in the 18th century when all work was undertaken simultaneously, enabling spare old sooted rafters to be repurposed for various tasks. Although no standing evidence of the medieval hall survives, the high east and low west wings retain their original status as solar and service respectively.

The Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England notes the house has a fragmentary moat. Morant traces ownership from 1372 to 1751.