Sweech House

Sweech House, Nos. 2, 4, and 6 Gravel Hill, Leatherhead

This is a timber-framed farmhouse, now converted to offices. The building probably dates from the late 15th century, was enlarged in the 16th century, and altered in the 17th century. It was subdivided into three cottages in the early 19th century and underwent restoration in 1950.

The structure comprises a two-bay hall range built on a north-south axis, with a 2½-bay wing at the south end and a 2-bay wing at the north end, likely added at different periods. The building stands one-and-a-half to two storeys tall. It is constructed of timber frame with brick nogging and cladding, incorporating some flint and tile-hanging, and is roofed in red tile.

The 1½-storey hall features a doorway to the second bay, a modern cross-window to the right, and a modern six-light transomed window to the left. Hipped dormers sit in each bay. Visible timber framing includes a wallpost to the left of the door, a mid-rail to the right, and a wallplate spanning both bays. Flint masonry on the left side marks an inserted inglenook, with a chimney rising through the roof slope.

The left-hand wing has a flush gable with corner posts, a straight tie-beam, and a king-post roof truss with three queen struts. It contains two two-light casements at ground floor and a five-light casement above, plus a side-wall chimney. The right-hand wing projects forward, displaying a modern bow window at ground floor, a two-light casement at first floor, a tile-hung gable, and a ridge chimney between the first and second bays. The 2½-bay return wall shows a plinth and exposed timber framing—including sill, two wallposts with down-braces to a mid-rail, studs, intermediate rails, and wallplate. Flint masonry marks another inserted inglenook in the first bay, with a casement above. Coupled cross-windows occupy the centre bay with another above, and an inserted doorway sits in the rear bay.

The rear elevation shows exposed full timber framing across all parts, except the second bay of the hall (covered by an added outshut) and the tile-hung gable of the south wing. The framing of the south wing is notably heavier in scantling and includes two large down-braces with peg-holes of a third visible in the re-entrant side. A small square stairwindow is framed into the angle between the rail and the right-hand post. The first bay of the hall contains a doorway and two-light casement; both wings have similar casements on both floors, and the hall has two dormers matching those at the front.

Interior: The south end wall of the hall-range exhibits a massive concave up-brace from the rear post. The north end wall shows evidence of similar bracing through two vacant mortices in the soffit of the tie-beam and a blocked mortice in the rear post. This tie-beam carries two large raked struts. The lateral beam between the bays has floor-joists from the south bay tenoned into it, while those of the north bay are laid on top, suggesting that bay was formerly open. The soffit is grooved for a former plank partition, with a slot at the rear end for a former door lintel. A chimney stack has been inserted at the junction of the bays, with the inglenook opening to the north bay (featuring a chamfered bressummer and unusual painted overmantel) and the rear backing into the south bay (painted in imitation of brick). The south wing contains a similar inserted chimney stack protruding into the first bay, with the inglenook opening towards the second bay.

An alternative interpretation of the building's development, documented in the Leatherhead and District Local History Society History (1988) page 301 and in J. H. Harvey's article "Sweech House" in Proceedings of the Leatherhead and District Local History Society volume 3 (1971), suggests that the south wing was the first phase with the hall being the last phase of construction.