Thatched Outbuildings At Ford Hill On Roadside 10 Metres West Of House

TL 4321 LITTLE HADHAM FORD HILL (south side) Hadham Ford

9/11 Thatched Outbuildings at Ford Hill on roadside 10 metres W of house -

GV II

Outbuildings, C18 or early C19. Long line of thatched single storey buildings at lower level backing onto road. 3 varied structures in obsolete forms of construction. At W, a wider stable building now a garage with double doors in the W gable end. Flint and brick plinth to clay lump walls, plastered externally. Higher plinth on N retaining road at higher level. Steep thatched roof with small loft door in dormer on roadside. Clay lumps 20" x 7". Continuous wall plate and split pole rafters. 2 bay roof. Half floored. Entrance in E end. Middle part abutting on E is a narrower stable with clay lump walls on flint foundations. The courses follow the slope of the hill. Stable doors on S side. Steep thatched side purlin roof with spreaders. Irregularly spaced tie beams with collars over. Interesting vertical thatched partition over tie beam at E end of this part. At E end a shorter, formerly open fronted, narrow thatched section. Side walls formed of frame of slender undressed tree trunks with natural forked tops carrying similar undressed wall plates. Timbers in N wall built into flint wall for full height. Some lath and plaster infill on S. Gabled steep thatched roof on similar rough framework. The buildings probably survive from when the house served as an inn. Survivals of obsolete forms of building construction of great interest. Part of the historic group on Ford Hill in Conservation Area.

Listing NGR: TL4359921586