Fabdens (On North Bank Of River Rib)

Fabdens is a late 15th century open-hall Wealden type house located on the north bank of the River Rib. In the 17th century, a chimney and floor were added to the hall, and the house underwent alterations in the early 18th century, with 20th century extensions. The timber frame is exposed, featuring plastered panels on the west end, while the rest of the building has panelled pargetting. It has a steep hipped roof with gablets covered in old red tiles. The house consists of a 2-bay former open hall with two-storey wings at each end that jet out to the north, all under the same hipped roof. The eaves are deep coved with curved brackets beneath the wall-plate that spans the jettied projections. The windows are flush casements with leaded lattice lights, and there are wide 4-centred heads to the plank doors at each end of the cross passage at the west end of the hall.

Originally, there was a separate 16th century single-storey outside kitchen at the southwest, constructed with similar materials, which is now linked to the house and features a large external red brick chimney with offsets. A large red brick central chimney from the 17th century has a fireplace backing onto the cross passage, and there is a large external stack at the east end. The southeast has a two-storey projection with a lean-to tiled porch leading to a door in the angle.

Inside, there is a moulded crown-post on a cambered tie-beam over the hall, with hollow chamfered posts. There are peg holes for a bench and a door leading to the parlour and stair at the east end. At the west end, there are two 4-centred arched service doors, and the axial beam is morticed for the uprights of a partition that used to separate the pantry and buttery. The west upper room features a three-light diamond mullioned window, and there is a smoke-vent made of boards over the collars at the east gablet end of the roof.