Elm House And Railings Attached

Elm House is an early 17th-century house, significantly altered in the early 18th century, with later additions and alterations to the rear. It is situated on Old Tree Lane in Boughton Monchelsea. The central range is timber framed, resting on a galleted stone base with mathematical tiles to the gable ends. The front range is a greyish-red brick construction, incorporating lighter red brick dressings and "chainâge" detailing. The rear range is rendered, although some stonework remains visible towards the right end. The roof is covered with plain tiles.

The early 17th-century central range consists of three timber-framed bays, with a single-bay rear return wing to the right and possibly an additional section at right angles to the wing's right. An early 18th-century range was added to the front, creating two parallel ranges, housing one room on the ground floor with an entrance hall to the right end. A later section fills the angle between the central range and its rear wing, forming the full rear range.

The house is two storeys high, with attics and a cellar, and features a stone plinth to the gable ends. The front elevation of the 18th-century range is flanked by a Giant order of Doric pilasters with rubbed brick capitals and bases. A moulded and dentilled wooden eaves cornice runs along the top, followed by a stone-coped brick parapet with sunk panels. The front range has a hipped roof, while the central range has a steeply-pitched hipped roof with a hip returning to the rear infill. A stack with a cogged cornice is located between the front and central ranges towards the left end. Two flat-roofed dormers are present. The front range has a regular five-window arrangement on each floor, with slightly-recessed eight-pane sashes set within rubbed brick voussoirs, the central voussoirs dropped to resemble keystones. Outer and central windows, and the outer ground-floor windows, also have cut ogee heads. Sunk brick panels are positioned beneath the ground and first-floor windows, with delicately-moulded brick strips at the bases of the first-floor panels. A single-storey brick section, possibly an addition, is located to the right, featuring a plain parapet above a plat band, a concealed lean-to roof, and a doubly-recessed round-headed door architrave with rubbed brick voussoirs and plain stone imposts. The door is ribbed, with a panelled back and a decorative semi-circular fanlight. A longer single-storey section extends from the right gable end of the rear range, possibly linked to a former rear wing of the central range, now roofed in two sections with a half-hip to the right end.

Inside, the central range has jowled posts, tension braces, and a clasped purlin roof with windbraces and diminishing principal rafters. A corner stack is positioned in the central bay. Exposed framing is visible within the rear wing. An open-well front staircase features barley-sugar balusters, a moulded handrail, and ramped panelling on the wall side. The hall is paved with black and white flags. Fielded panelling and a moulded cornice are found in the left ground-floor room, while the first floor, formerly a long room, has a moulded cornice. A well head is situated close to the right gable end, consisting of two posts with a plain-tiled pentice overhead, two wooden drums connecting them, and a cogged mechanism linking to a large iron hand wheel on one post. Spear-head railings are set on a low red brick plinth across the front of the house and connect to the right gable end by a red brick wall.