The Old House

The Old House is a house located in Boughton Monchelsea, dating from the 16th century or earlier, with additions and alterations made in the late 16th or early 17th century. It underwent restoration in the mid-to-late 20th century. The structure is timber framed with plaster infilling, and the right gable end is weatherboarded. It has a plain tile roof and consists of three timber-framed bays, with the left bay framed as a single-bay cross-wing. The wing and possibly the rear wall of the main range are part of the earlier building, likely an open hall with two unequal-length bays and storeyed end bays, although only the left end bay remains. The two "hall" bays were largely rebuilt in the 17th century.

The house has two storeys, with a brick plinth on the left end bay and a stone plinth on the rest. It features a continuous jetty, jowled posts, and ogee tension braces on the front gable end of the left wing, along with a tension brace on the narrower right end bay. The studding is broadly spaced, with a small area of close-studding towards the right end of the central bay. The wall-plate of the two right bays is lower than that of the wing, although the eaves were raised in the 20th century. The wing is gabled to the front and originally had a high collar, but now has a lower collar and clasped purlins, with a lower ridge than the main range, which is gabled to the right. There is a multiple brick stack towards the right end.

The fenestration is irregular, featuring three leaded casements: one three-light in the wing, one in the central bay, and a small two-light in the right end. There is a ribbed door to the left end of the central bay, and photographs indicate a further door between the stack and the right gable end. A short 20th-century rear wing extends to the left.

Inside, the framing is exposed, and there is evidence for a door-head towards the center of the right wall of the wing. Mortices are present for an 8-light diamond mullion window at the rear of the ground and first floors of the central bay. The joists in the two right bays are of lighter scantling. There are stone fireplaces on the left side of the stack on each floor, featuring plain-chamfered jambs and a bressumer, but no evidence of fireplaces on the right. A date of 1734 is carved towards the base of the stack on the right side.