Loddenden Manor

Loddenden Manor

A timber-framed house built in several stages during the mid-to-late 16th century and early 17th century, restored around 1912. The building stands on Staplehurst High Street on the east side, constructed with rendered infilling and a plain tile roof.

The house is complex in plan, comprising a principal room of two timber-framed bays to the left of and slightly overlapping a stack, with a cross-wing of approximately three timber-framed bays projecting slightly forward at the left end. A further bay to the right of and slightly overlapping the stack may date from a slightly later period, framed separately and appearing as a cross-wing with a shallower rear depth. A formerly free-standing mid-to-late 16th century three-bay timber-framed structure stood some distance behind the right end bay of the main range, later connected by slightly later timber-framed infilling set back from the right gable end. A 17th century stair turret occupies the re-entrant angle between these sections. The building rises two storeys with an attic storey on a brick plinth.

The framing is close-studded throughout. The left cross-wing features a jettied front on a moulded bressumer, with gabled eaves at a lower ridge than the main range. A continuous jetty runs along the rest of the main range, with the bressumer moulded as far as the stack, differently moulded to the right end bay, and returning to the right on a moulded dragon post. The main range roof hips down to the wing with a gablet, gables down to the lower ridge of the right end bay, and gables to the right end. The 16th century rear structure has a higher ridge than the infill; its roof hips to both front and rear.

Fenestration is irregular. The windows comprise one 3-light casement to the left wing, one 2-light casement to the porch, one single light to the right of the porch, one 10-light ovolo-moulded mullioned and transomed oriel window under a jettied close-studded gable on the first floor of the principal room, one 3-light casement under the stack, and one 10-light ovolo-moulded mullioned and transomed window with a moulded cill to the right end bay. Ground-floor frieze windows sit beneath the first-floor oriel and to the right end bay.

A two-storey 17th century timber-framed porch overlaps the angle between the main range and left wing. Its first floor is jettied on three sides with jettied eaves to the front. The outer doorway is moulded with encircled chamfer stops, and a moulded 16th or 17th century door hangs within. A bell cupola sits on the ridge of the main range.

Multiple brick stacks are present, one in the front slope of the roof to the right of centre and one truncated projecting stack to the left side of the left wing.

Interior features include exposed framing throughout, with evidence for mullioned windows to both floors of the 16th century rear structure and to the infill. Beams are moulded. A screens passage is evident at the left end of the principal room. A 4-centred-arched doorhead with leaf spandrels separates the principal and right end rooms. Plain-chamfered brick and stone fireplaces with chamfered bressumers serve the principal and right end rooms respectively. The infill section has a raised floor with solid-tread stairs descending to a semi-basement with a well. A late 17th century staircase features turned balusters and a moulded handrail. Solid-tread stairs connect the first floor to the attic. Broad floorboards are laid throughout. The roof structure comprises clasped purlins with wind-braces and diminishing principal rafters.