The Old House

TL 11 SW 5/65

HARPENDEN LEYTON ROAD (west side) No 27 (The Old House)

21.1.54

GV II House. Built in the late C16 as an inn. Late C17 and early C18 extensions. Circa 1840 block on the front left. Early part is timber frame, the framing exposed at rear. Roughcast. Bricknogging. Plain tile steep-pitched roof.

T-plan, the cross bar of the T with gable end to road and deeply jettied on the upper floor. Front ground and first floor with four- and three-light C18/19 leaded casements. Towards the rear of the main range is a large late C17 red brick chimney stack with square base and four octagonal shafts on stepped bases. Thin brick arrises between the shafts. Projecting from the centre of the north side of the range is a late C17 stair turret with original first floor casement band and below this a C17 mullioned and transomed leaded window. To the right of the stair turret there is a late C16 two-light mullioned casement on the ground floor. The front left extension is painted brick with slate roof. Rounded bay window on left side with three recessed sash windows on each floor. One 8/8-pane sash window above replacement door.

Internally, the main range is four equal bays. Wide inglenooks either side of brick stack, both with roll-moulded bressumers. Door arches on south side of stack have four-centre heads with carved spandrels. Wide-plank C16/17 doors. The hall was formerly on the west side of the stack. The upper floor rooms preserve original door arches cut into the tie beams, formerly a connecting corridor between the rooms. One C16 bay in centre of south side; C17 stack inserted in gable end. Beyond this is a three bay late C17/early C18 barn range with queen post roof. Formerly the Bull Inn. A well preserved example of an early inn.

Listing NGR: TL1349813920