The Orchard House

The Orchard House is a house dating from around 1520 to 1550, with alterations made around 1930. It has one storey and attics, following a three-cell plan. The structure is timber-framed and plastered, although much of the external walling was rebuilt in plastered brick during the 1930 alterations. The house features a thatched roof that is half-hipped at the right end, with one long 20th-century eyebrow casement dormer. There are axial and gable chimneys, with rebuilt shafts made of painted brick from the 20th century, and 20th-century metal casements. An open 20th-century plain-tiled entrance porch leads to a boarded door.

This house is a rare example of a late medieval dwelling with a central smoke-bay. To the right, there is a two-bay parlour with massive unchamfered floor joists. The centre of the house contains a two-bay hall, which was originally open and featured an open hearth, leaving smoke encrustation. The service cell to the left has a loft that once extended over part of the hall, separated by just a subdividing open truss. The roof has coupled rafters and was formerly hipped at the service end. An upper floor was added in the smoke-bay, featuring unchamfered joists and a chimney with back-to-back fireplaces, likely added in the late 16th or early 17th century.