The Beeches

OCCOLD THE STREET TM 17 SE 1/42 The Beeches - II

House; was parish poorhouse in C19 and subsequently 3 or 4 cottages. Renovated from dereliction 1968-70. C15 core with C16 additions. Timber framed and plastered. Roof plaintiled to front and pantiled to rear. 2 storeys and attic. 5 windows, late C19 and C20 small-paned casements. Mid C20 half-glazed door and doorcase with gabled hood. Internal stack, entirely rebuilt mid C20. Gable stack to right. Core comprises a former open hall. The open truss has a flat arched-braced tie beam carrying an exceptionally large (over 2m high) octagonal crown-post with moulded base and cap and 4-way bracing. Many of the C15 rafters survive, together with remains of studded front and end walls, all sooted. The front wallplate has mortices for a diamond-mullioned hall window and at the service end a splayed scarf joint (mostly concealed). Inserted floor has axial bridging beam and chamfered joists. Beyond this is a floor of poorer quality with plain square joists, partly cut for a mid C20 stair. The cell to the left of the stack is a late C16 parlour addition: exposed studding; ground floor ceiling beams with traces of original red ochre decoration; wind-braced roof of clasped purlin form.

Listing NGR: TM1561770758