Little Beeleigh Farmhouse

MALDON

TL80NW BEELEIGH 574-1/1/223 Little Beeleigh Farmhouse 02/10/51

GV II

House, former farmhouse. C15, C16 and C17. Timber-framed and rendered, some brick; with plain tile roofs and small off-centre ridgeline stack. PLAN: U-shaped complex with main north/south range, hipped to the north and half-hipped to south. Cross-wing at north end returns to gable at west and single-storey block at south end of main range with gabled slate roof behind parapet; 2-storey block to west of this has gable to east and is hipped to west and continuing down as catslide over single-storey part. EXTERIOR: 2 storeys with attics and cellar. East front is jettied with moulded bressumer and 2 original carved jetty brackets. The timber-frame is exposed here with 4 small-paned sash windows on the 1st floor. The ground floor has 2 similar windows and a canted bay window with small-paned sash windows and an off-centre door of 6 raised-and-fielded panels with moulded architrave. Exposed timbers indicate a number of former oriel windows, on each floor, frieze windows (some with moulded mullions) and site of former 2-storey projecting porch in front of cross passage. Single-storey extension at S end of Flemish-bond brick with a decorative parapet and small pointed-arched Gothick window, door with segmental head and sash window. The rear elevation has 2 door openings, C19 and C20 sash windows and casements and part of frame exposed on rear of south-west block. INTERIOR: reveals that northern cross-wing is mid C15 and of 2 bays, truncated to E as part of later works. A mid C16 long wall jetty structure adjoins, with 2-bay hall/great chamber, service bay of 2 rooms to S with small chamber over. The service doors were separated by a panel of studwork. Structure has jowled posts and crown-post roof with thin cranked longitudinal braces to collar purlin. SW block a truncated, 2-storey structure of mid C17 with good quality framing. Spine beam and bridging joists, on ground floor have ogee chamfers and similar above have stopped quadrant chamfers. Probably a kitchen/utility block. Floor of Flemish yellow floor bricks relaid C20. Early C19 staircase, doors and architraves and typical fire surround with roundels over pilasters. N ground-floor room has some C17 panelling. Numerous C17 and C18 doors with contemporary ironwork. (RCHME: Essex Central and South-west: 1921-: 181:5).

Listing NGR: TL8303207285