Hill Farmhouse

Hill Farmhouse is a late 14th century hall house with a gabled cross wing, located in Layer de la Haye. The building is timber-framed and plastered, topped with a red plain tile roof. It stands two storeys high and features a three-window range of 18th century vertical sliding double hung sashes with glazing bars. The cross wing, which was originally jettied, has been underbuilt and extended to the south in the mid 16th century. This part is also timber-framed and plastered, with a red plain tile roof, and includes sections that are black weatherboarded, along with 19th century casements and both horizontal and vertical sliding sashes.

At the rear, there is an 18th and 19th century extension made of red brick with a red plain tile roof. A 20th century projecting oriel window is located on the south-east side. The farmhouse incorporates an 18th century red brick bakehouse on the south-west side, which has an early 19th century pump at the rear. Some 19th century semi-circular windows can also be found at the rear.

Inside, much of the 14th century timber frame is preserved, featuring cambered tie beams and jowled storey posts. The main chimney stack, dating from the mid 16th century, has been rebuilt at the top in the 19th century. The mid 16th century extension retains cambered tie beams, jowled storey posts, and stop-chamfered beams. The top plate scarfs are halved and bridled throughout. This extension reuses a significant amount of timber from an earlier 13th century building, including a splayed scarf with undersquinted abutments and four face pegs in the collar purlin. Numerous 17th and 18th century doors remain, along with one early 18th century cupboard.