Alderton Hall

TQ 49 NW LOUGHTON ALDERTON HILL, 1/43 Alderton Hall 28.6.54 II

Farmhouse, late medieval, altered in C17, C18 and C20. Timber-framed, weatherboarded, roofed with handmade red clay tiles. 2-bay hall, aligned approx. E-W, aspect N, with inserted chimney stack at W end. 2-bay service crosswing at E end, C17, with external chimney stack at S gable. 2-bay parlour crosswing at W end, C18, with internal chimney stack in N part of E wall. Stair tower in NE angle, C18. 2-storey extension for garderobe or closets in SE angle, C17/18. Single-storey lean-to extension to N of E wing, C18. Lean-to extension to N of hall, forming a catslide roof, substantially C20. 2 storeys with attics. N elevation, ground floor. Window with 2 horizontally sliding lights, C18, 3 smal.lC19 casement windows glazed double doors and picture window, C20, bow window with tiled hipped roof, C20. First floor, one C19 casement window, 2 early Cl9 double-hung sash windows of 12 lights. Attics, 5 small casement windows, C19/20. Some framing exposed internally. Jowled posts. In E wing, straight braces from corner posts to wallplates and tiebeams inside studs, not trenched. IrLserted floor in hall consisting of transverse and axial beams plain-chamfered with step stops, joists plastered to soffits supported on pegged clamps, late C16. Original wallplates of hall are just above first floor level, central tiebeam missing. Walls of hall raised by approx. 1.5 metres in C17, axial beam of attic floor plain-chamfered with lamb's tongue stops. Roof of hall rebuilt in C18 with 4 collars of distinctive ox-bow shape to achieve headroom in attic. C18 window mentioned above, in N extension of E wing, retains all saddle bars, original leading and rectangular panes, a rare survival. There is another C18 window in the N wall of the hall, within the lean-to extension, with hardwood frame, 3 fixed lights and one wrought iron casement, complete with all saddle bars, original leading and rectangular panes (turnbuckle and stay of casement missing). Below the E wing there is a barrel- vault cellar of red brick, probably C17, strengthened with iron girders for use as an air raid shelter, World War II. Owner reports a brick cut.vent leading westwards from it, now inaccessible, probably for drainage and cooling of dairy. N ground floor room of W wing restored in C20 after fire damage.

Listing NGR: TQ4312496144