Reed Hall

REED CHURCH LANE TL 33 NE (East side) Reed

3/142 Reed Hall 27.5.68

• II

House. Origins are mid C15, probably built for John de Scales. Extended by addition of cross wings c.1500 and c.1600. Hall range raised and roofs hipped in late C17. Further altered and extended in C19 and C20. Timber frame. Rendered with some brick facing. Clunch and brick stacks. Machine tiled roof. An H on plan, originally an open hall with 2 bay 2 storey cross wings added, 2 bay hall raised to 2 storeys and attic. c.1500 parlour cross wing to right is jettied to front and right return with a curved bracket to dragon beam. Ground floor 6 light mullion and transom casement in a flush moulded frame, on first floor a similar 4 light casement. Boxed eaves. Steeply pitched hipped roof. Right return has an external stack of clunch rubble and ashlar with offsets, rebuilt brick cap. Behind stack a glazed door and a 2 light leaded casement with another curved bracket to jetty, first floor 2 light casement and a flush frame glazing bar sash. A first floor 2 light casement on inner return of early wing to hall range. Entrance to right, possibly in original screens passage position, 3 panelled door, recessed with architrave and fanlight, tiled pentice porch. 3 light small pane flush frame casements. Some panelled comb pargetting on first floor. A 2 light box dormer. Lower ridge than on parlour wing. To left is cross wing of c.1600, originally jettied to front, underbuilt in late C17. 2 and 3 3 light flush frame casements. Hipped roof with a yet lower ridge. A cross axial stack where this wing meets hall range and another stack to rear slope of hall range, both rebuilt. Left end has 1 storey slate roofed lean-to outshuts with C20 brick and tiled additions. To rear hall range has an extruded stack, scattered casements, 2 hipped dormers and a C20 flat roofed addition. Cross wings have red brick facing to rear on ground floor. Interior: stop chamfered bearers, jowled posts. Early cross wing has moulded wall plates with ashlar pieces to crown post roof with 2 way longitudinal curved braces, straight braces from collars to rafters. Elsewhere clasped purlin roofs. Small open well staircase with late C17 turned balusters, moulded handrails and newel posts with vase finials. Part of a moat remains to S of this manor house. (East Herts Archaeological Society Transactions, vol.2, pt.3, 1904, p.265: VCH 1914: RCHM Typescript).

Listing NGR: TL3603035639