The Bower House

TQ 3426 LINDFIELD HIGH STREET (west side) 6/177 No 135 (The Bower House) 10.9.51 GV II* House, formerly a Vicarage. C19 lettering under the eaves reads "Built about 1300, restored C16 and again in 1725" and there is also a square plaque dated AM 1725. Timber-framed open hall ceiled over a C16 refronted in C19 on east elevation with red brick and grey headers in diaper pattern on ground floor on brick plinth, and alternate bands of plain, pointed and curved tiles to 1st floor. Half-hipped tiled roof. 2 storeys and attics; 4 windows, 2 gabled dormers with carved bargeboards and finials. 4 C19 casements with iron pintle hinges. Wide eaves cornice. The north elevation has exposed square framing, jowled posts and some curved bracing, also a C20 doorcase with flat hood on console brackets. The south elevation has a half-hipped gable, brick ground floor and tiled 1st floor with some bands of curved tiles. The west elevation has 2 projecting wings of reused timbers and original multiple external stack to centre. The interior contains most unusual late C14 post and panel panelling, the posts reduced to thin strips and then exposed to form cusping at the heads, arched doorhead with durns inserted ceilings on ground and 1st floors with lambs tongue stop spine beams and joists and an early crown post, square in section with quadripartite bracing. Frame exposed with jowled posts and down bracing. Very wide floorboards. (See Mason "Framed Buildings of the Weald" p 84. The medieval door is illustrated in Mason Plate XIX and the panelling in Plate XXIII).

Listing NGR: TQ3484925802