Shedfield House

Shedfield House is a country house with a complex history, evolving over several centuries. The original core dates to the 16th century, with significant extensions around 1700 and further additions in the early 19th century (c1820). In the mid-19th century, a series of many-gabled wings were added along the west side, and a large entrance unit was built in 1902. The appearance of the front of the house has changed over time, reflecting the removal of a roadway near the house before 1840.

The varying building materials reflect the different phases of construction. The oldest part has a cement-rendered east wall with cambered openings. The main section (c1700) features brickwork in English bond with blue headers, partially obscured by arched window openings dating to c1820. The south end is colourwashed brick in a Flemish Garden Wall bond, while the west walls are brick in English bond, with a first-floor band and hood moulds above the windows (except for the 1902 additions). The roof is tiled, with the main east section featuring a modillion cornice and flat-roofed dormers, brick dentil eaves, and varying roof heights. The west elevation is characterised by a series of gables with bargeboards, some with scalloped decorations.

The oldest part of the house contains a massive Tudor-style fireplace with a chamfered bressumer and a plinth on the west wall. The c1700 extension includes a dog-leg staircase. The southernmost section is a large, single-storey room with a half-hexagonal end. The east elevation displays different building heights: one storey, two storeys and attic, and a lower two storeys and attic. Windows are primarily sashes, with a few casements.

The interior of the house contains a diverse collection of features, including plain panelling, fragments of a medieval wood screen, a Georgian cupboard with curved shelves, a Regency-style glass chandelier, fireplaces dating to the early 19th century and 1902, and a panelled entrance hall (1902) with a plaster frieze adorned with Portuguese plates and Delft tiles. The 1902 entrance bay features a wide canopy supported by curved brackets, a patterned lead rail, and hexagonal windows flanking a lead-faced door with raised ornament.