Vassars

House. Built in the later 17th century, with a western bay added in the 18th century, and an eastern wing and gabled rear (north) extensions added in the mid-19th century. A further extension to the eastern wing occurred around 1966, and a garage wing to the northwest was added in the late 20th century. The house is timber-framed and mostly brick-faced, with the eastern wing and later extensions being painted brick. It has steep roofs covered in old red tiles. The house has an irregular Z-shape, with the oldest two-storey range facing south, containing a gabled rear northeast stair turret and two similar gables to the west at the rear, added later. The taller eastern wing, raised over a cellar, is also two-storeys high, with a large internal chimney marking the junction of the two parts. A garage wing, extending to the north at the west end, is also present. The south front has three first-floor windows, each with a small gable above. The windows are flush casements, with similar windows on the ground floor, containing two-, five-, and three-light arrangements. A door is located between the last two ground-floor windows. The east front of the parlour wing features a canted bay with sash windows, a segmental arch to the cellar below, and a corbelled eaves band above the upper window. Inside, exposed timbers reveal that the building was originally one-and-a-half storeys and two bays wide, with end chimneys. The original entrance was into the east room, with a staircase rising from it. The western bay dates from the 18th century when the front wall was raised to full two-storeys. Original features include a clasped-purlin roof, long straight tension braces in the walls, and tie-beams exposed on the first floor. Axial, chamfered floor beams survive, complete with ogee stops. A noteworthy fireplace in the west chimney has recesses in a semi-circular back. The building was formerly known as The Three Horseshoes public house during the 19th century. A large oval terracotta relief portrait medallion and a name plaque of Tennyson, dating from the 19th century and formerly part of the Birkbeck Bank in Holborn, was built into the north wall of the garage in 1967.