Kingshead

THORPE-LE-SOKEN LANDERMERE QUAY TM 12 SE (north side) 5/99 Kingshead GV II Public house, now a house. Early C19. Partly timber framed and weatherboarded, partly of red brick in Flemish bond, roofed with handmade red clay tiles. Complex plan comprising (1) C18 timber framed house facing SW, with central stack, of one storey with attics, (2) early C19 brick wing to rear of left end, with straight joint indicating that it was extended before mid-C19, with external stack to right, having a cellar, high main floor and attics, (3) in rear right angle, C19 2-storey range having a brick ground floor, and timber framed and weatherboarded first floor, parallel with block (1), with axial stack, (4) C20 conservatory and lean-to extension to right. SW elevation, 2 C20 casements on the ground floor, one fixed light at half-floor level, and 2 C20 casements in gabled dormers. 2 plain boarded doors. NW elevation, 3 apertures to cellar, one early C19 sash of 12 + 12 lights, one of 6 + 6 lights and one C20 sash on main floor, and 2 flat-roofed dormers, one having a C19 horizontal sash of 8 lights, the other a C20 casement. Plain boarded door at top of 4 cement-rendered steps. Gambrel roof. 3 small brick buttresses. On the SW elevation is an original square wooden downpipe, the wooden guttering missing. Block (2) has an original stair to the attic, with turned newel, stick balusters and moulded handrail. Described in the tithe award of 1840 as the King's Head Inn, with lime shed, lime kiln and coalyard, owned by the Hope Insurance Company, occupied by Jacob Manning (Essex Record Office, D/CT 352). First recorded in poor rate assessment of 1811. A photograph taken c.1920 appears in E.A. Wood, A History of Thorpe-le-Soken to the year 1890, 1975, 104).

Listing NGR: TM1988123864