Erlas Hall

Erlas Hall is a house dating from the mid-19th century, with an earlier core. The main two-storey section runs north-south, and it is joined to a single-storey rear wing which incorporates the original building. The exterior is largely brick, covered in places by ivy; where visible, the brickwork is in a Flemish bond pattern, typical of earlier construction, though the upper sections show evidence of a raised roofline. A gable end reveals two exceptionally tall cruck blades with a cambered collar and queen posts, visible behind a substantial projecting brick chimney, which has some sandstone in its base courses. The chimney has multiple brick offsets, which may be decorative, along with a decorative brick panel on the front and a star-shaped stack that has been partially reconstructed. Lean-to extensions conceal the lower sections of the chimney, while rear extensions hide some early constructional detail, although a length of close-studded timber-framing is visible above the original wall-plate. The rear range largely reflects a mid-to-late 19th century rebuilding. The elevational details are also characteristic of the mid-to-late 19th century, including a doorway in the centre with a part-glazed four-panelled door and stop-chamfered detail to the panels; the windows are two-light casements with small panes and timber sills. Although their single ring cambered heads suggest an 18th-century origin. The front range is symmetrical with three windows and a central entrance, and shares similar door and window detailing with the rear wing, which suggests the rear wing was remodelled when this front range was added. However, the front range windows have wedge lintels. There are gable end stacks and generously projecting eaves.

During a partial inspection, an earlier cruck truss was found in the gable end, not visible from within the house. A second truss is located immediately left of the doorway. This leads to a small lobby with stop-chamfered ceiling joists; there may have once been a timber-framed partition to the right of the doorway, as traces of timber framing are visible in the upper storey along that line. The lower section of the cruck truss has close-studded infill, visible in the entrance lobby. A winding staircase is located at the rear of the left-hand unit, which was presumably the hall, as it contains the main stack (not visible internally) set against the cruck truss.