Sunbury Hill Farm

KINGS LANGLEY WATFORD ROAD TL 00 SE (West side) Langley Lodge 7/169 Sunbury Hill Farm 26.1.67 (formerly listed as Kings Langley Lodge Farmhouse) (1500m along track by Clapgate Farm)

GV II*

Farmhouse, now a private house. Late C15 2 storeys crosswing of former open hall house probably for keeper of royal park of Langley (with reused post of C13/C14 aisled building), C17 kitchen wing at W and 2-storeys part on site of hall, enlarged to E, refronted on S and new stair in early C18, renovated and recorded c.1977. Timber frame roughcast at rear (N) and E end, red brick front to both parts and attached brick W stable range with loft over. Steep old red tile roofs. A 2-storeys and cellar square house facing S with 2-storeys kitchen and stable range set back to LH, and external end chimneys. Assymetrical formal S front with plinth, moulded brick floor band and eaves cornice with parapet above. Segmental gauged brick arches to 3 windows on each floor with raised keyblock to the ground floor windows flanking the door and sunk decoration to central voussoirs of arch to recess above door. 3-light transomed casement windows slightly recessed with single-light windows next RH corner. 4 stone steps to 4-panel door with rectangular fanlight, heavy frame, and moulded flat hood on heavy shaped brackets. Stucco plinth and small-paned casement windows to rear, and 16 storeys outshut with gabled dormer. Interior has a large round headed recessed cupboard on the axis of the front door in the form of a coved niche with shaped shelves, raised and fielded panel doors, wide arched architrave with scrolled keystone and entablature breaking forward in centre. Head of cove painted with classical subject c.1725 where a rider on a horse leans over to lead another horse by the bridle. Contemporary stair lit from W with moulded closed string, turned balusters, moulded handrail and panelled sides. Panelled window shutters. Recorded timber structure now visible in roofspace and a storeroom at NW of 1st floor. An unusually lofty 2 storeys C15 structure 23ft to eaves and 30ft x 15ft with 2 rooms on each floor with central stair bay (newel survives) and 4-light window to W formerly lighting door from stair. Large 1st floor N room spanned by chamfered arch-braced collar beam truss to clasped-purlin roof with arched windbraces. Close-spaced wide wall studs. King-strut and collar truss to other room with curved windbraces to clasped purlin. No evidence for original chimneys. (VCH(1914)237-8: KLLHMS Report: RCHM Typescript).

Listing NGR: TL0627001501