Friars Grange Farmhouse

TL 61 SW AYTHORPE RODING

6/4 FRIARS GRANGE FARMHOUSE 7.2.52

GV II*

Hall house, circa 1400, altered in C16, C19 and C20. Timber-framed, plastered, roof tiled. Built as a grange of Tilty Abbey (Cistercian), with a 2-bay hall, integral service end at the W, and integral parlour/solar at the E, probably both with lean-to roofs. In the mid-C16 a timber-framed smoke hood was constructed at the W end of the hall, with a floor in the remainder. Later in the C16 the smoke hood was replaced by a brick chimney stack, backing onto the cross-entry and later a second chimney stack was built back to back with it, blocking the cross-entry and forming a lobby-entrance. In the late C16 the original parlour/solar end was demolished and replaced by a 2-bay crosswing with an external chimney stack at the E side. A pseudo- crosswing was built at the W end, enclosing the original service end and extending to E of it. A dairy, single-storey with attics, was added to the rear of this pseudo-crosswing, forming an L-plan. A dormer was inserted in the N pitch of the hall roof. All these alterations were completed by or soon after 1600. At some time unknown a major repair has been undertaken to the rear wall of the hall, rebuilding it 35 cm inside its original position; the projecting ends of the tiebeams were cut off. In the C19 the front entrance was moved to its present position at the NE corner of the hall. C20, minor alterations, non structural, N elevation, ground floor, 5 C20 casement windows and 4-panel door with shallow bracketed hood; first floor, 4 C20 casement windows, including one in a gabled dormer. Pargeted design of a wheatsheaf on each gable. Jowled storey posts. Clasped purlin roofs on both crosswings and S extension, crownpost roof on hall, heavily smoke- blackened and virtually complete. Steeply cranked central tiebeam, cross- quadrate crownpost with 4 braces, complete; collars halved to rafters and secured with nailhead pegs. Blocked smoke-vent at W gable of hall. Unglazed windows with diamond mullions present in W wall of service room (now enclosed in pseudo-crosswing) and first floor rear wall of hall. Moulded mantel beam in middle ground floor room, originally a bowtell in great casement repeated, but mutilated. Early C17 oak panelling in same room. 4 late C17 leaded windows with wrought iron casements and some C17 glass in rear wall, and another in an internal wall on the first floor. Original stairs to both attics in crosswings, with original floorboards. Exposed framing in S extension. Records in 1444-6, W. C. Waller, Trans. Essex Arch. Soc. VIII (1903) pp. 349, 358, 360, and transcription of Tilty Abbey Cartulary by W. C. Waller in Essex Record Office. RCHM 3.

Listing NGR: TL6038414324