Bridge End

TL 4422 LITTLE HADHAM ALBURY ROAD (east side) Little Hadham-on-Ash

8/8 Bridge End

22.2.67

GV II

House. C16 or earlier, 3-bay timber-framed hall house. Floor, staircase and probably the side chimney inserted in mid C17. Timberframed W wing probably of 1732 (plaster date plaque over front door has 'INM 1732'). C19 single storey brick and slate kitchen attached at NE corner. An L-shaped timberframed plastered house facing W with steep old red tile gabled roofs. Main range of one and a half storeys lies N-S. NW wing of 2 storeys and attic. Main range presumably represents the (S) parlour and 2-bay open hall of a late medieval house. Exposed inside are paired tension braces in the upper wall panels, long curved braces to tie beams and massive inclined struts each clasping the purlin at the joint with the principal rafter. Bar sockets next to kitchen door suggest door served a former screens passage. Conversion of house in C17 involved a floor structure carried on chamfered axial beams, an entrance lobby and staircase partitioned from the W side of the parlour, and a large lateral chimney and fireplace in the middle of the E side. The upper floor windows now cut across the wall plate and eaves but this may be a later change. The convenience of this wing was probably improved when the C18 W wing was added. An upper floor fireplace and flue was added to the large E chimney: a small fireplace and external chimney was provided for the parlour, and an unusual timber yoke provided on the upper floor where a tie beam was cut through. The higher W wing has a high brick plinth, squared beams and joists and corner fireplaces and chimney at the SW corner. It has a blocked door in the angle with the main range. W gable rebuilt in brick with garage doors but plastered gable has small C18 casement window to attic. W front of house has moulded battened door, panelled pargetting and C19 bracketed gabled hood. 3-light casement to Ground floor window, 2-light above. S end plastered with small canted bay window with hipped tiled roof. E wall cased in painted brickwork. Fine C18 egg- and-dart moulded cornice to large Ground floor fireplace, and good C17 turned balustrade with rounded handrail to stair landing. Fine panelling said to have been removed from parlour in 1960s. Formerly called Yewhurst Farm and long in same ownership as The Whare immediately to N. RCHM considers this may be an example of the unit-system, for housing separate households jointly farming the same land (RCHM Typescript).

Listing NGR: TL4402522736