Ploughden

Ploughden is a house that was originally a non-residential structure, with its use unknown. It dates from the late 14th century and 17th century. The building is timber framed and plastered, featuring a gabled peg tile roof. It has a 'T' plan form and stands two storeys high, with an elaborate mid-17th century stack on the south wall that has three offsets on each side and a rebuilt cruciform shaft. The windows are early 19th century cast iron casements with diamond pane shapes, and there is a minor 19th century stack at the north end.

At the south end, there is a single bay building from the late 14th century, which has large centre-tenoned floor joists and was formerly jettied on its south flank. There are traces of a former entrance door in this wall, along with remains of several diamond mullioned windows and one heavy, canted external wind brace. The roof is of crown post form, with short thick braces at each gable end. The block to the north is a 17th century two-storey structure with poor quality framing and a side purlin roof. The earlier block may have served as a hunting lodge or 'standing' associated with Hatfield Forest.