Hoo End

Hoo End is a manor house, now a private house, located in St Paul's Walden. The core of the building dates back to the early 15th century as an open hall house. An east wing, likely built before 1440 for John Whethamsted, Abbot of St Albans, was added around this time. A western wing replaced an earlier service end in the 16th century. In the early 17th century, a chimney and floor were inserted into the main hall, accompanied by a large mullioned and transomed dormer window to light a chamber above the hall. A smaller dormer window, possibly lighting a staircase beside the chimney, was also added. A mid-18th century single-storey front extension was built onto the hall, likely serving as a counting house and featuring a corner fireplace. Significant alterations further changed the appearance of the building in the mid-19th century.

The house is timber-framed with roughcast rendering, while the ground floor is faced with painted brick. It has steep red tile roofs. The building presents as a large "H"-shaped house facing north, with gabled wings at each end and three gabled dormers along the hall range. A projecting gabled porch, with a pedimented doorcase and eared surround, is located beside the west wing and into the end of the hall. The windows are largely transomed casements, mostly renewed in the 19th century. A brick well-house is attached to the southwest corner.

Inside, the hall features 17th-century scratch-moulded panelling, and the first floor of the east wing displays decorative tension braces. Evidence remains of a former collar-purlin roof, with the crown post removed. The hall range roof is contemporary with a crown-post braced down to a tie-beam. An end collar-purlin is halved where it meets the rafter of the wing roof. A doorway with a four-centred head is at the western end of the hall range. The west wing has a blocked two-light north window with a shutter groove, and a clasped-purlin roof. An ovolo moulded dormer window is located over the hall. A 17th-century cellar is present in the west wing. The building was formerly known as Leggats End or Hoo End Grange.