Old Surrenden

Old Surrenden

A house with 16th-century or earlier origins, substantially altered and extended over four centuries. The core timber-framed structure was re-fronted in the 18th century, extended in the early 19th century, and an L-wing was added to the south-west around 1900. Further extensions followed in the late 20th century: a two-storey extension to the north-east in 1974, and single-storey extensions to the south-west and north-west in 1984. The building underwent re-fenestration from the 1950s onwards and modernisation in the 1960s; the late 20th-century extensions are of no special architectural interest.

The entrance front faces south-east and presents one storey with attics beneath a steeply pitched tiled roof with gablets and half hips to the south-west and north-east. Two gabled dormers with paired top-opening metal casements light the attic. The ground floor contains four metal casement windows and a 1970s gabled porch with carved wooden brackets and plank door. The materials are a mix of timber framing, red brick with blue headers to the lower ground floor, and tile-hanging to the upper parts. The two central bays are laid in English garden wall bond, while the north bay uses Flemish bond with grey headers. The south-west elevation has tile-hanging and Flemish bond brickwork, partially concealed by a 20th-century porch. The northern part features a late 20th-century brick ground floor with applied timber-framing above. The north-west side incorporates a 1960s weather-boarded garage with half-hipped tiled roof into the living accommodation, with similar 1980s brick and tile-hung materials. The north-east end shows later 20th-century brickwork and tile-hanging. A tiled roof with off-central brick chimneystack covers the building.

The original plan comprised two central bays, either representing an open hall house of one bay with a service end or a single-storey and attic two-bay house. An external chimneystack was added to the south-west end in the 18th century, followed by a further two-storey bay in the early 19th century and an L-wing between 1898 and 1909. Later 20th-century extensions extended the building to the north-west and north-east.

The interior of the original two central bays now forms a single room with an 18th-century brick open fireplace featuring a wooden bressumer. Exposed ceiling beams survive: those in the northern half are wider and rough-hewn, possibly 18th-century, while those to the south are narrower and likely early 19th-century in date. A ledged plank door is set in the south wall.

The upper floor, reached by a late 20th-century staircase in the north-west corner, retains significant structural evidence of the original timber-framing. The north-east end wall survives with jowled corner posts, part of the midrail and tie beam, a curved brace, and struts. The north-west side wall comprises wall-plate, midrail, studs, a curved corner brace, and the base of two rafters. The northern bedroom displays the wallplate to the south-east wall and several rafters, together with wide 16th-century oak floor boards. An 18th-century timber partition divides this room from the central bedroom, featuring a blocked doorcase; the ceiling, added in the 18th century, retains marks of wet plaster. The central bedroom has the south-east wallplate visible, along with the complete original tie beam (except for an inserted ledged braced plank door), a curved corner brace, part of the original north-west wall, and wide 16th-century oak floor boards throughout. The southern bedroom contains the originally external south-east end wall with a blocked original window retaining one wooden diamond mullion and the socket for another. The upper part of the 18th-century chimneystack (originally external) is visible here, along with late 18th or early 19th-century studs to the south-east end wall and the bases of rafters and ceiling beams marked by wet plaster. The roof structure has a ridgepiece but lacks purlins.