SCHEDULE A.
AN INVENTORY OF THE ANCIENT AND HISTORICAL MONUMENTS
IN SOUTH BUCKINGHAMSHIRE
ACCREDITED TO A DATE ANTERIOR TO 1700, arranged by Parishes.
(Unless otherwise stated the dimensions given in the Inventory are internal.)
1. AMERSHAM.
(O.S. 6 in. xliii. N.W.)
Ecclesiastical
(1). Parish Church of St. Mary, N. of the
High Street, is built of flint, the tower of flint
mixed with stone. The roofs of the Drake
chapel and S. chapel are covered with slate
and the other roofs with lead. The Chancel,
the Nave, except the western bay, and the Transepts were built probably in the 13th century;
c. 1310 the nave was lengthened, the South
Aisle added, and, a little later, the North Aisle
was built. The West Tower and the North
Chapel, E. of the N. transept, were added probably c. 1480, and the South Porch was built
later in the same century. The Drake Chapel,
originally the vestry, N. of the chancel, was
added in the 17th century, and enlarged in
the 19th century; the South Chapel, or organ-chamber, and the North Vestries were built and
the whole church was considerably altered and
restored also in the 19th century.
The arches in the nave, opening into the
transepts, are especially interesting on account
of their unusual form. The brasses in the
chancel are worthy of note.
Architectural Description—The Chancel
(40½ ft. by 16½ ft.) has an E. window of five
lights with tracery, all modern except a few
of the inner jamb-stones. In the N. wall a
round-headed doorway, of late 17th-century
date, opens into the Drake chapel, and a 15th-century four-centred arch, with moulded
jambs, bases and capitals, opens into the N.
chapel. In the S. wall the three windows retain
only some old jamb-stones; the two western
windows form a clearstorey and were probably re-set when the chancel was made higher
in 1870: in the middle of the wall is a modern
doorway, and further W. a modern arch opens
into the S. chapel. The 13th-century chancel
arch was heightened in 1870, and is two-centred, of two chamfered orders, with halfoctagonal responds, repaired with modern Bath
stone. The Drake Chapel (45½ ft. by 21½ ft.,
E. half, and 16 ft., W. half) contains only
modern detail. The North Chapel, formerly the
Raans Chapel, and used as a mortuary until
1908 (19 ft. by 17½ ft.) has, in the E. wall,
a recess, probably a blocked single-light window of the 15th century. In the N. wall is
a modern arch, with a doorway in it opening
into the N. vestry, and a modern window above
it. In the W. wall is a moulded two-centred
15th-century arch, opening into the N. transept; the bases and jambs have been partly
cut away for a former screen. The South
Chapel, including the two arches opening into
the S. transept, is modern, but some old jamb-stones are re-set in the windows. The Nave
(74½ ft. by 16½ ft.) has, on each side, an arch,
probably of the 13th century, opening into the
transept, and an arcade of four bays, of early
14th-century date; the arches opening into the
transepts were pointed like those of the arcades,
but in 1870 the present stilted, three-centred
arches of two chamfered orders were found in
the walls and restored; they were evidently
heightened for a rood-loft, probably in the 15th
century, but the head of the N. arch is of 13th-century stones, re-set. The N. arcade has two-centred arches of two chamfered orders, octagonal columns, half-octagonal responds, and
moulded bases; the S. arcade resembles the
other, but has square pillars with attached
semi-circular shafts; in both arcades the pillars
were taken down, restored and replaced in
1870; much of the stonework, including the
capitals of the N. arcade, has been entirely
renewed. The clearstorey is probably of
the 15th century, and has five N. and five
S. windows, each of two cinque-foiled lights in
a square head; the moulded segmental rear
arch and the inner jambs are original, the
other stonework is modern. The North Transept (21½ ft. by 16½ ft.) has, in the E. wall,
near the N. end, a 13th-century lancet, with
rebated and chamfered outer jambs, restored;
it was blocked with brick when the N. chapel
was built in the 15th century, and opened out
by moving back the N. wall of the chapel in
1908. In the N. wall of the transept is a large
window of three lights and tracery with 14th-century splayed inner jambs which have small
shafts; the rest is modern. In the W. wall
is a 14th-century window, restored; it is of
two lights and tracery under a moulded head
and a moulded external label with volute
stops; S. of the window an arch opens into the
N. aisle, and is of two chamfered orders, all
modern, except the N. jamb. The South Transept (21 ft. by 16½ ft.) has, in the S. wall, a
modern window with a tomb recess (see Fittings) below it. In the W. wall is a trefoiled
lancet, probably of the 14th century, with a
chamfered two-centred segmental rear arch;
the external stonework is much restored; the
arch opening into the S. aisle is modern, except
a few stones in the double-chamfered S. jamb.
The North Aisle (10½ ft. wide) has three N.
windows and one W. window, all modern, except a few of the inner jamb-stones. The South
Aisle (10½ ft. wide) has, in the S. wall, at the
E. end, a 14th-century window of three lights
and tracery, much restored; the S. doorway
is modern; W. of it is a small 15th-century
doorway with chamfered jambs and pointed
head; it is now blocked, but opened originally
into a staircase which led to a former upper
storey of the porch; it is set low, and indicates the original lower level of the floor:
further W. are three windows of two lights;
the first has only a few old stones re-set in
the inner jambs; the other two windows are of
the 14th century, much restored, the westernmost being high up in the wall. In the W. wall
is a 15th-century doorway, with chamfered
jambs and pointed head, now blocked, formerly
the entrance to the stair-turret of the tower. The
West Tower (13½ ft. by 13 ft.) is of two stages,
with an embattled parapet, and a stair-turret
in the S.E. angle. The 15th-century tower
arch is two-centred and of two moulded orders;
the jambs, bases and capitals are similar to
those of the arch between the chancel and N.
chapel. The W. doorway and window are
modern. In the S. wall is a modern doorway
to the stair-turret; over the doorway is a skew
arch from the stair-turret to a former gallery
floor, and near the arch, visible only outside,
is a blocked rectangular opening; the turret is
lighted by original loops and the N., S. and W.
walls of the ringing-chamber have each an
original loop with a four-centred head. The
bell-chamber has two modern windows in each
wall. The South Porch has only modern detail.
The Roof of the nave is of late 14th-century
date, and has traceried trusses, with moulded
tie beams and braces, traceried spandrels and
moulded purlins and ridge; the panels and ribs
are modern; the stone corbels, carved as figures
of angels and heads, are original. The roofs of
the N. and S. transepts are similar to that of
the nave, but only one truss in the N. transept
and the three trusses in the S. transept are
original; three head-corbels in the N. transept,
and two in the S. transept are also original.
The other roofs are modern, but in the S. aisle
are five original corbel-heads over the arcade.
In the tower are some old plain timbers
in the floor of the ringing-chamber. The S.
porch has a 15th-century vaulted roof with
moulded ribs, carried on corner shafts having
moulded bases and capitals; the bosses are
carved with Tudor roses, foliage and grotesque
faces, all of clunch.
Fittings—Brasses and Indents. Brasses: In
chancel—on N. wall, (1) of Henry Brudenell,
1430, and Eleanor, his wife, daughter of
Hugh Preston, man's figure broken below
waist, inscription partly filled with white composition; see indent (1). In chancel—on S.
wall, (2) of John Drake, 1623, kneeling figure
of child, separate plates with inscription and
verse; see indent (2). In N. aisle—on N. wall,
(3) of Thomas Carbonell, 1439, and Elizabeth,
his wife, 1438, woman's figure slightly broken,
with inscription; see indent (3); (4) of John de
la Penne, 1537 (date added after brass was cut),
and Elizabeth, his wife, daughter of Peter
Hally, 1521, with inscription; on W. wall, (5)
figure of civilian, head missing, probably c.
1440. In S. transept—on E. wall, (6) to
Richard Champeneys, draper, 1439, inscription
only, much worn. Indents: In nave—at E.
end, partly hidden by pulpit, (1) figures of
a man and woman, and two shields; see brass
(1). In S. transept—(2) figure of child with
two inscription plates; see brass (2). In N.
transept—at E. end, (3) figures of a man and
woman, with inscription plate; see brass (3).
Chests: two, in vestry, one, panelled, inscribed
T.H. H.M., 17th-century: the other small, plain,
with three locks and staples, probably late 16th-century. Door: to ringing chamber from
stair-turret of tower, oak, battened, with strap
hinges, 15th-century. Monuments and Floor-slabs. Monuments: In S. transept—in recess
in S. wall, (1) stone slab with floriated cross, at
base of cross two shields hung from projecting
arms, raised border at W. end and on S. side,
worn away from the other edges, c. 1350. In
chancel—S. of altar platform, (2) part of slab,
with raised cross, possibly 14th-century; on S.
side, (3) of Montagu, son of Sir William Drake,
of Shardeloes, 1698, and Jane (Garrard), his
wife, 1724, large recess with black marble sarcophagus, medallions with busts, etc.; on N. side,
(4) of Francis Drake, bust in niche, shield with
arms above it, inscription undated, late 17th
or early 18th century; (5) to Henry Curwen
of Workington, 1636. In the Drake chapel—
on W. wall, (6) tablet to Joan, wife of Sir
Francis Drake of Esher, and daughter of
William Tothill of 'Sharlees' (Shardeloes), 1625.
Floor-slab: In N. chapel—to Sir Heneage
Proby, lord of the manor of Raans, 1662, and
Helen, his wife, daughter of Edward Allen,
1678. Piscinæ: in N. chapel, modern copy of
original 15th-century piscina: in S. chapel,
removed from chancel, with moulded jambs
and lancet-pointed, cinque-foiled head, shelf at
back, late 14th-century. Recess: in S. wall of
S. transept, for tomb, with moulded, four-centred arch, 14th-century. Tiles: in floor of
tower, nineteen, about 4 in. square, with
patterns, hunting scenes, shields, one with a
cross, another with mill-rind cross, and part of
inscription, (RICAR) D ME FECIT, late 14th-century. Miscellanea: now in the Rectory garden,
part of lancet-head, 13th-century, like that in
N. transept; moulded stone and label, 14th-century; arch-stones, 15th-century.
Condition—Good; much restored.
Secular
(2). Panelling and Well-house at the
Rectory, ¼ mile N. of the church: the Rectory
is of c. 1725, but contains some Panelling of
early 17th-century date in one room, probably
from the former house. The well-house in
the garden, now disused, is timber-framed with
brick filling, and probably of the 17th century;
it was lengthened at a later date and a large
tank was built in the floor. The roof has original king-post trusses and cambered tie-beams
with curved braces. The turning post is fixed
to the trusses, it was formerly worked by a
horse, and has a double-grooved drum at the
top for the chains.
Condition—Of panelling, good; of wellhouse, fairly good.
(3). The Brewery, N. of the church, is of
two storeys, built probably in the 16th century,
but entirely re-faced with 18th and 19th-century brick. The roof is tiled. At the S. end
is a chimney stack of 16th-century brick, with
remains of arched panels on the E. and W.
sides. Inside the house are a few old ceiling-joists, and, on the first floor, is an early 16th-century stone fireplace with moulded jambs
and a flat four-centred arch in a square head
with traceried spandrels. The Brewery offices,
S. of the house, are probably of the same date,
but have been re-faced, and retain only a few
original ceiling-joists.
Condition—Good.
High Street, N. side, from E. to W.:—
(4). House, formerly the Grammar School,
now shops, offices, and a dwelling-house, is of
two storeys. The walls are timber-framed, but
have been almost entirely re-faced with modern
brick. The roofs are tiled. The original
building, probably of early 16th-century date,
is of rectangular plan, facing S.; at the back
is a small E. wing, added probably in 1625,
and there are other wings of later dates. The
S. front has been re-faced, and has a modern
parapet, but part of the soffit of an original bressumer is visible, and probably the upper storey
formerly projected; on a modern arch over the
entrance is the date 1625. The southern part
of the E. side of the house is gabled, and shows
the original timber-framing; the E. wing is of
timber and brick of later date; at the back the
E. wing is gabled, and the main block, at the
E. end, has nogging of unusually large bricks
(14 by 6½ by 3½ in.). Interior:—There are
some chamfered ceiling-beams on the ground
floor. The upper storey of the original
building was one long room, now divided
into four rooms and offices; the four 16th-century queen-post trusses in the roof have
cambered tie-beams and curved struts, and the
hollow chamfered arches below the collar-beams
have sunk spandrels; some of the curved braces
are missing, and two ends of the tie-beams are
hung on modern iron straps, in front of the
large modern windows which cut into the roof.
Condition—Good.
(5). House, now a shop, at the E. corner of
Church Street, is of two storeys, built probably
in the 17th century, and partly re-faced with
modern brick and plaster. The roof is tiled. On
the W. side the upper storey retains the original
timber-framing, and has two gables. On the
ground floor is a 17th-century battened door,
and the shop has a chamfered ceiling-beam.
Condition—Fairly good.
Amersham, Plan Shewing Positions of Monuments Described
(6). House, at the W. corner of Church
Street, is of two storeys, built probably in the
15th century, and timber-framed with plaster
filling; the roof is tiled. The plan is rectangular, with a long range of brick and timber
stables and outbuildings at the back. The front
is covered with plaster, and has a half-hipped
gable, cut down from its original shape. The
timbers of the upper storey on the E. side have
ogee struts, and the lower storey is of modern
brick. The staircase has old oak steps and flat,
shaped balusters. The original king-post trusses
in the roof have cambered tie-beams with curved
four-way braces carrying central purlins under
the collar-beams.
Condition—Fairly good.
(7). The Market Hall, was built by Sir
William Drake of Shardeloes in 1682, as recorded on a stone tablet at the W. end of the
building. It is of two storeys, and of rectangular plan; the walls are of brick, with stone
dressings; the roof is tiled. The lower storey,
paved with stone, is open and has on each of the
longer sides an arcade of six bays with rectangular brick piers and plain semi-circular arches
with stone keys, a stone string at the springing
and another above the arches; the stone quoins
have rusticated joints. The upper storey, of red
and blue bricks with cemented quoins, has six
square windows on each side, with wood frames,
mullions and transoms, and iron casements
with square leaded panes. Below the two
middle windows on the S. side is a stone achievement of arms, Drake impaling Montague. On
the N. side the E. bay of the lower storey is
blocked by the stairs and lock-up, and three of
the windows on the first floor are blocked. At
the W. end is an arcade of two bays, the two
windows above it are blocked, and between them
is the stone tablet with a monogram and the
date 1682; the E. end is similar, but the N.
arch is blocked by the lock-up. Under the
eaves all round is a wood cornice with modillions; the roof is hipped at each end and is flat
at the top, with an octagonal wood turret in the
middle. The turret has an arched opening on
each side, and a pyramidal lead roof with a
turned finial; it contains a clock, and a bell
inscribed 'C. H. [Christopher Hodson] made
me 1682.' At the foot of the staircase in the
N.E. corner, leading to the first floor, are some
original turned balusters and two short handrails; on one side the balusters are modern.
The meeting-room on the first floor has a
panelled dado with bolection mouldings; at the
W. end is a dais, the W. wall is panelled, and
has on it a large painting of the arms of
Charles II., with the king's initials. The stairs
leading to the roof have original moulded handrails and turned balusters; the roof is of oak,
with large king-post trusses.
Condition—Fairly good outside, a few of the
bricks are decayed. The interior is bad and
needs general repair. The tiles of the roof have
slipped from the ridge, leaving holes, which
expose the timbers to the weather. (fn. 1)
(8). The Gables, W. of the Market Hall, is a
house of two storeys and an attic, built probably in the second half of the 16th century, and
now covered with cement. The roofs are tiled.
The plan is rectangular, facing S., with
modern additions at the back. The front has
two curvilinear gables with pinnacles at the
apices; on the ground floor are two projecting
bays, finished with a moulded cornice; in the
W. bay is a mullioned window, and in the E.
bay a doorway and small modern window; above
them, on the first floor, are two similar bays,
with mullioned windows and a moulded cornice;
the attic windows in the gables are mullioned.
A room on the ground floor has a fireplace of
late 16th-century date, of Totternhoe stone,
with moulded jambs and a three-centred arch
in a square head; the room above it has an
elaborate oak fireplace and overmantel of
c. 1640; the jambs have enriched pilasters, and
above the carved mantelshelf are three Caryatid
pilasters with arched panels between them; the
jambs, shafts and arches are covered with arabesque patterns, and the spandrels are carved
with eagles; the moulded cornice has a carved
frieze. One room on the ground floor and two
on the first floor are lined with oak panelling
of late 16th or early 17th-century date.
Condition—Good.
(9). House, adjoining (8) and (10), is of two
storeys and an attic, built of timber and brick
probably in the first half of the 17th century;
it was re-fronted and heightened in the 18th
century, and a room was added at the back in
1803. The roofs are tiled. The front is covered
with plaster, and has a large covered gateway
at the W. end. A wing at the back, containing
the kitchen, etc., is of old timber and brick,
now covered with whitewash; it is gabled at
the N. end, and has a central chimney stack,
partly of early 17th-century brick. The kitchen
has a chamfered beam in the ceiling, and a
large open fireplace with corner seats; in the
room above it is a 17th-century cupboard-door
of oak battens.
Condition—Good.
(10). Tresco House, is of two storeys, built
probably early in the 17th century, on an
L-shaped plan, with the main block facing the
street, and the short wing on the N.W. The
front has been re-faced with 18th-century
brick; the W. end retains the original timber-framing, with brick filling; the back of the
main block, with three gables, is also original,
but has been white-washed, and there are some
original outbuildings at the N. end. The roofs
are tiled. On the first floor is some oak panelling of early 17th-century date and a panelled
overmantel, of a slightly later period, with
bolection moulding and half-round pilasters,
probably part of a larger design.
Condition—Fairly good.
(11). House, now a shop, about 60 yards W.
of the Market Hall, is of two storeys, covered
with plaster; the roof is tiled. It was built in
the 16th century, or possibly at an earlier date,
and may have been part of the house on the W.
(See (12).) The plan is rectangular, with a
modern addition of one storey in front, forming the shop. On the E. side is a chimney stack
built of thin bricks, with one square shaft, set
diagonally. In the front room on the ground
floor is a large fireplace, and in the back
room is a moulded ceiling-joist of 16th-century
or possibly earlier date. On the first floor is a
fireplace with a roughly-made overmantel of
plaster, consisting of two round-headed arches,
with keystones, abaci, etc., in low relief; in
the front room one of the trusses of the roof is
visible, with queen-posts, cambered tie-beam
and curved strut.
Condition—Fairly good.
(12). House, now a shop, adjoining (11), is
of two storeys and an attic, built probably in
the 16th century, on a rectangular plan; the
short wing on the N.E., making the plan
L-shaped, was probably added in the 17th century. In front the upper storey is of original
timber, now covered with plaster, the lower
storey has been re-faced; at the W. end is a
large gateway, and at the E. end is a wide gable
with a gabled dormer window W. of it. The
back is also gabled and covered with plaster.
The E. wing is lower than the older part of the
house, and is of brick and timber; the roofs are
tiled. The shop is lined on two sides with late
16th or early 17th-century panelling, now
painted, and on the first floor is a panelled door
of the same date. The oak staircase is
original, and the roof-trusses are similar to
those in (11).
Condition—Fairly good.
(13). House, about 110 yards W. of the
Market Hall, is of two storeys, built of brick
and timber in the 17th century, but now much
altered; the roof is tiled. The building is set
back from the street, and has, in front, an
original gable and a one-storeyed modern shop.
The central chimney stack is of thin bricks.
Inside the house are some old ceiling-beams
and a large open fireplace.
Condition—Fairly good.
(14). The Elephant and Castle Inn, is of two
storeys and an attic, built probably early in the
17th century, and timber-framed, much altered
and covered with modern rough-cast. The roof
is tiled. The front has two gables, and at the
E. end a rectangular chimney stack is of thin
bricks and has a moulded base.
Condition—Fairly good.
(15). House, 270 yards W. of the Market
Hall, now three cottages, is of two storeys and
an attic, built of brick and timber early in
the 17th century, much altered and re-faced
with brick in the 18th century. The roof is
tiled. The plan was originally of half-H shape, but the space between the wings has
been enclosed. At the back the gable at each
end is original; the gable in the middle is
modern. The central chimney stack is of 17th-century brick; another stack at the E. end is of
slightly later date.
Condition—Good.
(16). House, opposite the Almshouses, is of
two storeys, the upper storey partly in the roof,
with two dormer windows. It was built probably in the 17th century and is timber-framed,
partly whitewashed; the brick filling at the back
is modern; the roof is tiled.
Condition—Good.
(17–19). Houses, three, adjoining, are each of
the 17th century. The easternmost house, 400
yards W. of the Market Hall, is of two storeys,
encased with flint and brick in the middle of
the 17th century; the two gables in front are of
brick and timber; the central chimney stack,
of thin bricks, appears to be of earlier date
than the flint walls. The second house, No.
78, now two shops, is of two storeys and an
attic, almost entirely re-faced with modern
brick; the two gables at the back, and two
dormer windows in front are of original brick
and timber. The westernmost house is of two
storeys, built of brick, now much restored and
enlarged; the chimney stack is original. The
roofs of all the houses are tiled.
Condition—Fairly good.
(20–23). Houses, four, now twelve small cottages, known as 'Turpin's Row', are of two
storeys, built in the 17th century. The
easternmost house stands at right angles to the
others, and has a modern brick front and E.
side; the back is of 17th-century timber construction, with plaster filling; the remains of a
projecting chimney stack and fireplace, now external, show that the building formerly extended
further towards the N. The second house, now
five cottages, is of brick, and has the date 1678
on the central chimney stack. The third
house, now three cottages, was probably of
half-H plan, as shown by the heavier beams at
each end of the S. front; the middle cottage
has lighter beams and was apparently built out
flush with the others at a later period; the brick
filling is probably of late 17th or early 18th-century date. The plan of the westernmost
house, now three cottages, is L-shaped; the
upper storey is of brick and timber, the lower
storey partly of modern brick; the three chimney stacks, of which probably only the middle
stack is original, are all restored at the top.
The roofs of all the houses are tiled. One or
two rooms in each house have original beams in
the ceilings.
Condition—Fairly good.
(24). The Town Mill and House, now a flour
mill, but originally a paper mill, are at the
W. end of the street. The Mill is of two storeys,
the House of two storeys and an attic; the mill
and back part of the house were built at the
beginning of the 17th century, or possibly
earlier, of brick and timber, the mill being
partly weather-boarded and restored with
modern brick; the front block, of about the
same size as the original house, is of red
brick with black headers, and was added
late in the 17th century, when the W.
wall of the older block was re-faced with
similar brick. The roofs are tiled. The plan
is L-shaped; the short wing faces S., and the
mill, which forms the long narrow wing on the
E. side, extends towards the N. The S. front
has a plain string-course between the storeys;
the lower storey has a doorway in the middle
with two windows and a narrow recess, or
blocked window, on each side; the upper storey
has similar windows. At the back of the house
the lower storey is restored with modern brick;
the upper storey has a wide mullioned window
of eight lights, and the attic has an original
dormer window, of three lights, with a gabled
head. The W. end of the house has two gables,
with a chimney stack in the middle of the
southern gable and a flat string-course at the
level of the upper floor; the older or N. block
retains an original door-frame and a mullioned
window on the ground floor. The E. end resembles the W. end, but the mill covers the N.
half, and is gabled at both ends. The interior
of the mill has been altered, but some of the
original rough timbers and wall-posts are
visible; the roof also retains some old timbers,
but has been much restored; one beam is dated
1700, when a new 'Pitt wheel' was put in, and
another beam 1701, when a 'new stone' was set.
Condition—Fairly good.
S. side, from W. to E.:
(25). Little Shardeloes, stands in a garden
at the W. end of the street, and is a house
of two storeys and an attic, built of brick,
formerly whitewashed or plastered. The roofs
are tiled. The plan is roughly of half-H shape,
facing N. The main block is of late 17th-century date; the S.E. wing was added in the 18th
century, and the S.W. wing in the 19th century. The N. Elevation has three gables, and
in the middle a two-storeyed porch, also gabled;
the doorway is round-headed, with projecting
abaci and keystone, and has a moulded architrave with frieze, cornice and pediment. The
E. Elevation has, flush with the wall, two
gables, the S. gable incomplete; behind that
on the N., set back from the wall, is a higher
gable above the roof; a projecting string-course, with a moulded lower edge, marks the
level of the first floor; the line of junction
with the S.E. wing is marked by a straight
joint. The S. Elevation of the main block has
two original gables; an original doorway on
the ground floor is said to have been the former
main entrance, and has an old oak door with
strap hinges; on the W. side of the S.E. wing
is a gable above the roof, set back from the
wall below it. The chimney stack near the W.
end of the original part of the house is of late
17th-century brick.
Condition—Good; some ivy on the walls.
(26–27). The Swan Inn and House, W. of it,
are each of two storeys and an attic, and are
dated, the Swan Inn 1671, and the house 1678.
The House is rectangular, gabled on each side,
and retains much of the original timber-framing with brick filling, partly whitewashed;
on the N. front the lower storey is of modern
brick. The chimney stack on the W. side is
probably original. Over a fireplace on the first
floor is the date 1678. The staircase to the
attic is of old oak. The Swan Inn is of irregular plan, with a shallow projecting wing at
each end in front, and modern additions at the
back. The front is re-faced with modern brick;
each wing is gabled and has a modern two-storeyed bay window. At the back some of the
original timber-framing of the upper storey
remains. The rectangular central chimney has
a panel on the S. side bearing the date 1671.
Some of the rooms have stop-chamfered beams
in the ceilings.
Condition—Good.
(28). House, probably formerly an inn, now
two cottages, adjoining (27), is of two storeys
and an attic, built late in the 17th century and
altered in the 18th century. The front is of red
brick with black headers, and has a large
covered gateway, inserted or made higher in
the 18th century; W. of the gateway are two
original windows with central mullions and
transoms; other original windows have been
blocked. The W. end of the building now forms
one of the cottages, and is re-fronted with
modern brick. At the back, E. of the gateway,
is an original projecting chimney stack. On
the ground floor are two wide fireplaces, partly
blocked, and stop-chamfered beams in the
ceilings. At the E. end is an oak staircase with
an original battened door at the bottom, and
three similar doors at the top; a second staircase also has an original door at the top. The
upper rooms show the constructional timbers.
Condition—Fairly good.
(29). Almshouses, six, are of one storey, endowed and built in 1657 by Sir William Drake,
Baronet, of Shardeloes, as recorded by a tablet
on the N. wall. The walls are of brick; the
roofs are tiled.
The building is a good dated example of
17th-century brickwork.
The houses form three sides of a courtyard,
with a wall and gateway on the fourth side.
There are two houses in each wing. The gabled
ends of the E. and W. wings face the street; in
each is a large round-headed recess, flanked by
shallow pilasters with moulded caps and bases,
supporting a moulded entablature, all in brick;
the central gateway is of similar detail, but the
head has been restored. Courtyard elevations:—
The E. and W. elevations have each two doorways, with four-centred heads, and three mullioned windows; the S. elevation has a central
archway opening into a passage through the
wing; on each side of it is a doorway and a
three-light window similar to the others; above
the archway is a gable containing, in a
moulded frame, the stone tablet which records
the foundation of the almshouses; over the
frame is a cornice on consoles, and a broken
pediment enclosing a cartouche with the arms
of Drake. All the dressings of windows and
doorways are of plaster, and a moulded brick
string-course crosses the gable and is carried
round the three sides of the building under
the eaves. Outer elevations:—The S. elevation has a gable over the central archway and
one at each end, with a window of two lights
under it; on each side of the archway is a
blocked recess with a four-centred arch of
brick, and beyond the recess is a wide, projecting chimney stack, tapering to a single
square shaft with moulded head and base; in
the stack is a small window. The E. and W.
elevations have each two chimney stacks like
those on the S. elevation, also with windows, and
behind each stack is a small gable at right
angles to the main roof. A moulded brick
string-course is carried round outside the building, in the same way as in the courtyard. Inside the houses are fireplaces with large four-centred openings.
Condition—Good.
(30). House, No. 79, is of two storeys and
an attic, built of brick and timber c. 1660, and
restored in the 19th century. The roof is tiled.
Two windows on the first floor retain original
central mullions and transoms; others have
been blocked and painted to resemble them; the
attic is lighted by two hipped dormer windows.
Condition—Structurally, fairly good.
(31–32). Houses, two, adjoining, now five
tenements, are each of two storeys, built late
in the 16th or early in the 17th century. The
tiled roof is ridged from end to end, over both
buildings. The plan of the western house,
adjoining (30), was originally L-shaped; the
space between the wings has been partly filled
in by a modern addition. The front is covered
with whitewash, through which some of the
original timber-framing can be traced; the
windows are mullioned; at the E. end is a
high gateway cutting into the upper storey and
indicating that the house may have been a
coaching inn. The central chimney stack has
been restored above the roof. One of the
staircases is of old oak, and has an original
battened oak door at the foot. The ceilings of
the ground floor have stop-chamfered beams,
and an original cupboard remains, next to the
chimney stack. One arched truss is visible in
the western half of the roof. The plan of the
second house is rectangular, with a wing at the
back, projecting slightly from the W. half of
the main block, and some low modern additions. In front the lower storey is of modern
brick; the upper storey is timber-framed, with
modern brick filling; there are three gables,
and the windows have original mullioned
frames. At the back the projecting wing is
gabled, and the W. half of the elevation is of
original brick and timber. On the ground floor
the ceilings have stop-chamfered beams, and
the central newel oak staircase, from the ground
floor to the attic, is original. One fireplace on
the first floor has moulded jambs and a four-centred arch in a square head. The timber
construction is visible in most of the walls on
the first floor, and the timbers of the roof can
also be seen.
Condition—Of structure, fairly good; of roof
and ceilings, poor.
(33). House, adjoining (32), is of two
storeys, built probably early in the 17th century, of brick and timber, enlarged and altered
in the 19th century. The roof is tiled. The
front is now plastered, and at the E. end is
a high covered gateway. On the ground floor
one fireplace is original, with a lintel apparently of stone, and some original ceiling-beams are visible.
Condition—Good.
(34). House, No. 61, now three tenements (see
Plate, p. 12), is of two storeys and an attic,
built of brick and timber, on flint foundations,
in the first half of the 16th century, heightened
and altered late in the 17th century. The roof
is tiled. The front is covered with modern
plaster, and has a large covered gateway at the
E. end; the four gabled dormer windows are
probably of late 17th-century date. The rectangular chimney stack has four detached
octagonal shafts, with moulded bases, and
attached oversailing caps. Inside the house
are some original moulded beams, a battened
oak door and two wide fireplaces, one being of
stone, now painted, with moulded jambs and
four-centred arch in a square head. The oak
newel staircase is also original.
Condition—Good.
(35). House (see Plate, p. 12), is of two
storeys, built late in the 16th or early in the
17th century, of brick and timber, now much
restored. The plan is L-shaped; the longer
wing has two gables in front, the shorter wing
is gabled at the S. end. Both the chimney
stacks are restored. Inside the house some
timbers in walls and ceilings, several oak battened doors and the small oak staircase are
original. The partition walls of the upper
storey are partly of wattle and daub.
Condition—Good.
(36). House, No. 47, is of two storeys, timber-framed, with brick filling, covered with plaster,
and partly restored with modern brick; the roof
is tiled. It was built in the 15th century, enlarged about the middle of the 16th century,
and again in the 17th and 19th centuries.
The house is especially interesting on account
of the mediæval work that remains.
The plan is of half-H shape, with E. and W.
wings, of unequal width, projecting towards
the S.; the original building had a large hall of
one storey, with the solar in the W. wing,
which was lengthened in the 16th century, when
the central chimney stack was added; the
lower, narrower E. wing was built probably
early in the 17th century, when part of the hall
was destroyed, and an upper floor inserted in
the remaining part. The N. Elevation is in
three bays, the upper storey having a gabled
projection at each end; the middle bay is on
flint foundations, probably of the 15th century,
and has a small central gable; in the W. bay,
which is on similar foundations, the timber-framing of the lower storey is of the 15th century; two panels have curved struts and the
other timbers are vertical. The central
chimney stack is of the 16th century, and has a
square base and four semi-octagonal shafts on a
stepped plinth. The E. and W. Elevations
retain the original timber-framing of the upper
storey, but have been partly restored on the
ground floor; a mullioned window in the W.
wall is probably of the 16th century. The S.
Elevation has gabled ends to the E. and W.
wings; the middle part is modern, with a central gable and an old oak mullioned window of
three lights, re-set, and much decayed. The
upper storey of the E. wing formerly projected
on the W. side facing the courtyard, but has
been under-built with modern brick; one mullioned window, of two lights, and a gabled
dormer window, which appears above the
modern additions, are probably original. The
W. wing has, on the E. side, a modern gallery
with an outer staircase; the original E. wall
is timber-framed and has, at the S. end, a
16th-century doorway, now blocked, with chamfered jambs and a four-centred head; under
the eaves above the doorway are three bays of
a 15th-century oak screen, with trefoiled
arches and tracery in a square head, possibly part of the original house, but not in
situ. At the S. end of the wing the W. half
of the lower storey is open and the upper storey
is timber-framed. Interior:—On the ground
floor are some chamfered beams in the ceilings,
supported, in one room, on curved brackets. In
the E. wing the W. half of the ceiling in the
front room is of open timbers, probably of the
16th century, and may show the original extent
of the 15th-century hall; the E. half is covered
with plaster; the southern half of the W. wing
has an open timber ceiling of the 16th century,
divided into three bays by chamfered beams
resting on curved posts. There is a narrow
staircase of oak in the middle of the E. wing.
On the first floor, in the main block, part of the
roof is evidently that of the original hall, with
an oak moulded cornice, about 2 ft. above the
16th-century floor, stop-chamfered principals
and purlins, and curved wind-braces; under
the wall-paper at the E. and W. ends can be
traced curved struts forming arches; that at
the W. end has been partly cut away for the
16th-century chimney stack. In the roof of the
E. wing in front is a queen-post truss with a
cambered tie-beam on curved posts with curved
brackets, and there are purlins with wind-braces
in the sloping sides of the roof; at the back are
three old tie-beams; that in the middle is
straight, the others are cambered. In the W.
wing are several battened oak doors, and two
15th-century queen-post trusses with curved
struts, larger than those in the other wing, and
open rafters, formerly covered with plaster. In
the N. room of the same wing is a 16th-century
fireplace with moulded jambs and a four-centred arch in a square head under a moulded
shelf, apparently of stone, painted. At the
back of the wing the walls are of wattle and
daub.
Condition—Of the inhabited part of the
house, fairly good; the back of each wing is
disused and out of repair; a new window is to
be inserted in place of the old window in the
S. elevation.
(37). The King's Arms Hotel, is of three
storeys, built probably in the 16th century, of
brick and timber, now much altered. The roof
is tiled. The plan is L-shaped; the front is
modern, with a large original gateway at the
W. end, heightened to admit stage coaches in
the 18th century. At the back are three gables,
and the S. end of the short wing is gabled. A
room on the ground floor has an original
moulded ceiling-beam. A stable at the back
of the building is probably also of the 16th
century.
Condition—Good.
(38–39). Houses, two adjoining, are of two
storeys, built probably late in the 16th century,
and timber-framed, with filling partly of brick,
partly of plaster. The roofs are tiled. The
western house has, in front, a gable at the E.
end of the overhanging upper storey. The
second house has two gables in front, and the
upper storey projects at the W. end; the
bressumer is probably original, but is painted;
the E. end is faced with modern brick, and has
a high covered gateway, open to the ridge of
the roof, of which two queen-post trusses can
be seen.
Condition—Good.
(40–41). Houses, two adjoining, now shops,
are of two storeys. The western house is timber-framed, with plaster filling, and is probably
of the 16th century, now much restored; in
front are three gables, and the upper storey
formerly projected, but has been under-built.
A long outbuilding at the back is timber-framed with brick filling, and has heavy roof
trusses. The second house was built probably
in the 17th century, but has been re-faced with
modern brick; there is one gable in front. The
roofs are tiled. Both houses have original oak
ceiling-beams on the ground floor.
Condition—Good.
(42). The Crown Hotel, is of two storeys, built
probably early in the 17th century, of brick,
re-fronted and much altered in the 19th century. The roof is covered with slate. The N.
front has a large gateway with original timbers. Inside the house are some original ceiling-beams on both floors, and two of the rooms
have panelling of early 17th-century date.
Condition—Good; much restored.
Union Street, W. side
(43–44). Houses, two, about 110 yards S. of
the High Street; the northern house, now three
tenements, is of two storeys and an attic, of
late 17th-century date, but altered in the 18th
century; the plan is rectangular, with a small
wing at the back. The E. front is of red
and black bricks, but at the S. end the upper
storey has some timber-framing, possibly of
earlier date than the brickwork; in the N. half
is a rubbed brick pilaster with a moulded capital; the upper windows have original oak mullions and transoms, and the two dormer windows have gabled heads. The S. side and the
back of the house are gabled and timber-framed
with brick filling; the wing has two original
window-frames. The roofs are tiled. Some
chamfered beams remain in the ceilings. The
southern house, now three tenements, is of
two storeys, built probably in the 16th century or earlier; the plan is L-shaped, with the
wings projecting towards the N. and W. The
E. front is of late 17th-century red and black
bricks, the back of original brick and
timber, with some weather-boarding. The
roofs are tiled. In front, on the first floor,
the mullioned window-frames are original.
The central chimney stack is original and has
oversailing courses at the top. The roof at the
S. end of the house is of earlier date than the
front wall; the truss between two rooms has a
heavy cambered tie-beam, and a king-post with
four-way braces supporting a central purlin
under the collar-beams.
Condition—Fairly good.
(45). House, now two cottages, is of two
storeys, built probably late in the 16th or early
in the 17th century. The plan is of an irregular
L-shape; the small wing on the S. was formerly
set back from the front of the main block, but
has been built out flush with it. The front has
two bays of original timber-framing, with
brick filling, which is modern in the lower
storey; the two gabled dormer windows are
apparently original; at the S. end the wall is of
modern brick and flint, and the ends of the
joists show at the level of the first floor. The
N. end of the house is of old timber and brick;
at the back are modern additions. The roofs
are tiled, and the original roof-timbers can be
seen inside the house.
Condition—Fairly good.
(46–47). Cottages, two, detached, on the S.
side of a narrow lane leading out of the street,
are of two storeys, built probably in the 17th
century, of brick and timber; the roofs are
tiled. The ends are gabled, with a projecting
chimney stack at the E. end of each cottage.
Condition—Poor.
E. side
(48–49). Houses, two, adjoining. The southern
house is of two storeys and an attic, built of
brick; the roof is tiled: in the middle of the
front is a round-headed terra-cotta panel with a
round frieze and curved pediment; on the panel
are the initials and date 1695 W.H.K.; in the frieze
is a shield with arms. The northern house
is of two storeys, built of brick and timber,
probably in the middle of the 17th century;
the roof is tiled: the lower storey in front is of
modern brick; the central chimney stack has
been restored above the roof: inside the house
are stop-chamfered beams in the ceilings and
some original timbers in the walls.
Condition—Fairly good.
(50–51). Houses, two, are each of two storeys,
built of brick and timber in the 17th century;
the roofs are tiled. The upper storey of the
southern house formerly projected, but has
been under-built with modern brick, and the
bressumer covered with tiles. The chimney
stack at the back is original. The second house
is gabled in front.
Condition—Fairly good.
(52–53). Houses, two, adjoining, are of late
17th-century date. The southern house, formerly the Workhouse, now a shop, is of two
storeys and an attic, built of brick; the roof is
tiled and hipped at the S. end. The front is
covered with modern plaster, and there are four
dormer windows. The S. side of the house is
gabled and has an original window in the attic.
The back has a central gable and projecting
chimney stack, also original. In the ceilings
are some chamfered beams. The northern house
now five cottages, is of two storeys, built of red
brick, with black headers, and has a string-course at the first floor level; the roof is tiled.
In front two of the windows on the ground floor
have original oak mullions and transoms, and
rectangular leaded lights, with ornamental
fastenings, and two windows on the first floor
are also original. The central chimney stack
is of late 17th-century brick. Inside the house
the ceilings have original beams, there are old
oak stairs, and, in the upper rooms, some rough
oak doors.
Condition—Of first house, good; of second
house, fairly good.
Broadway, N. side
(54). The Old Malthouses, are of two storeys,
built of brick and timber; the roofs are tiled.
They are probably of the 16th or 17th century,
but there is little detail by which to assign a
definite date to them. They consist of an L-shaped block of buildings, the longer wing
extending towards the N.; the S. end, now
used as a dwelling, is restored with modern
brick; the upper storey at the N. end retains
the original timber-framing in the E. and W.
walls.
Condition—Disused, except S. end; structurally good.
(55). Cottage, now two dwellings, 160 yards
E. of the Market Hall, is of two storeys, timber-framed, and covered with plaster, built probably c. 1570. The plan is rectangular, the ends
are gabled. The central chimney stack has two
circular shafts with moulded bases and ornamented sides, unusually massive for so small a
building; the tops have been removed.
Condition—Fairly good.
S. side
(56). The Griffin Hotel and Outbuildings at
the back. The Hotel is of three storeys, re-built
or much altered late in the 17th century, but
probably incorporating remains of a building of
earlier date. The plan is of half-H shape,
facing N., with the wings at the back, and the
main block pierced by a large central gateway.
The front is of red and black bricks; the back is
plastered, and has three gables. The roofs are
tiled. Some chamfered oak ceiling-beams remain on the ground floor. The Outbuildings
include stables and a barn, which are probably
of late 16th or early 17th-century date: the
long range of stables, on the E. side of the
yard, is of two storeys, the upper timber-framed, with modern brick filling, the lower
re-faced with modern brick; the large barn,
S.E. of the stables, is of timber, and the roof
has heavy queen-post trusses.
Condition—Good.
(57). House, probably formerly an inn, now
divided into four dwellings, Nos. 19–22, was
built probably early in the 17th century, of
brick and timber, now much restored. The
roofs are tiled. The plan is L-shaped, with a
central gateway in the longer wing, opening
into a square courtyard at the back. The head
of the gateway is gabled at the back, and E. of
it are three gables, covered with plaster. The
original timber-framing is visible only in the
upper storey of the middle part of the house,
now Nos. 20 and 21. E. of the gateway, in
front, is a chimney stack with three square
shafts set diagonally. Old ceiling-beams, some
panelled oak doors, one moulded battened door
and a wide fireplace remain inside the house.
Condition—Fairly good.
(58). Houses, two, now divided into three
tenements, Nos. 8–10, are each of two storeys
and an attic, built in the second half of the
17th century, of brick and timber, now much
restored. The roofs are tiled. The eastern
house, Nos. 8–9, has, in front, three original
mullioned windows on the first floor, and two
gabled dormer windows. The central chimney
stack has panelled sides. The western house,
No. 10, is re-faced with modern brick, except
the attic floor, which is timber-framed and has
two gables. The central newel staircase, of oak,
is original.
Condition—Fairly good.
(59). Cottage, 270 yards E. of the Market
Hall, is of two storeys, the upper storey partly
in the roof, built probably in the 17th century.
The lower storey is of brick, the upper timber-framed, with a gabled semi-dormer window.
The roof is tiled.
Condition—Fairly good.
Bury End, S. side of the road
(60). Bury Farm, at the E. corner of the
road to Beaconsfield, is a house of two storeys,
built about the middle of the 16th century, of
brick, now covered with rough-cast in front;
the roof is partly of slate and partly tiled.
The original plan was rectangular, or possibly
with a S.W. wing, which has been altered or
re-built; modern additions have been made at
the back and at the E. end. The ground floor
originally contained a central hall with the
parlour on the W. and the kitchen on the E.;
the old ceiling-beams remain in the rooms, but
some are encased. The original outer door
way, now the inner doorway of the lobby, at
the back of the house, is of oak, with moulded
jambs, flat, four-centred arch, and spandrels
carved with flat strap-ornament. Some original fireplaces have been partly blocked; that
in the kitchen has a heavy cambered beam
over it. In the upper rooms is some oak
panelling of late 16th or early 17th-century
date.
Condition—Good.
N. side
(61–62). Cottages, two, are each of two
storeys, built probably in the 17th century.
The western cottage has been almost entirely refaced with modern brick, only the W. end and
gable are partly of original brick and timber.
The second cottage has a modern brick front;
the other walls are covered with plaster. The
roofs are tiled. Each cottage has old ceiling-beams and a large fireplace.
Condition—Poor.
(63). The Chequers Inn, is of two storeys,
built probably late in the 17th century. The
front has been re-faced with modern brick; at
the back the lower storey is of flint, the upper
storey of brick with three gables, and the windows have small old frames. The roof is tiled.
A large open fireplace and some beams inside
the house are original.
Condition—Good.
Amersham Common
(64). Stanley Wood House, 11/8 miles E.N.E.
of the church, is of two storeys and an attic,
built probably c. 1678, the date appearing on a
chimney, but now almost entirely re-faced with
modern brick or covered with rough-cast. The
plan was apparently originally L-shaped, the
wings extending towards the E. and S.; modern
additions on the N. and E. have made it T-shaped. The S. end of the S. wing is gabled
and the attic is lighted by a window of two
lights with moulded frame and mullion, probably original; a similar window, now blocked,
is on the E. side of the wing. The S. side of
the E. wing has painted timbers, with rough-cast filling in the lower storey and tile-hanging
in the upper storey; the N. side is of original
timber-framing with brick filling. The roofs
are tiled. The rectangular chimney stack in
the E. wing has a moulded cornice, and in a
panel on the S. side are the initials and date
I. H. 1678; the stack in the S. wing was of
similar detail but has been much restored. The
hall in the S. wing has old oak posts in the
E. wall, and a room on the S. has a large
moulded fireplace, covered with cement, and an
encased beam in the ceiling. At the end of the
original part of the E. wing is a large open fireplace and an old chamfered beam, re-worked.
In the E. wall of the upper storey is visible a
heavy truss, with cambered tie-beam and
curved braces.
Condition—Good.
(65). Reeves' Farm, house and barn, S.E. of
(64). The House, of two storeys and an attic,
was built probably early in the 17th century,
but has been almost entirely re-faced with
modern brick; the roofs are tiled. The plan
is L-shaped, with wings extending towards the
E. and S. The E. wing alone retains the original brick and timber; the N. side is gabled and
has an original doorway on the ground floor,
and mullioned windows of two lights on each
floor. The projecting chimney stack at the E.
end is probably of late 17th-century date. The
central chimney stack in the S. wing, of thin
bricks, is rectangular, with V-shaped shafts on
two sides and a modern head. Some chamfered
ceiling-beams are original. The Barn, N.W.
of the house, is probably of early 17th-century
date, timber-framed and weather-boarded, with
framed trusses in the roof, from which some of
the timbers are missing.
Condition—Fairly good; the attic floor of
the house is unsafe.
(66). Barker's Farm, E. of No. 65, is a house
of two storeys, partly of timber and cement,
the timbers covered with modern boards, and
partly re-faced with modern brick. On the N.
front the upper storey projects at the W. end, and
some of the supporting joists are original. The
roofs are tiled. The house was built early in
the 17th century, but has been much enlarged
and altered; the plan of the original building
contained only two rooms on the ground floor,
with chamfered joists carried across the ceiling
of both rooms. In the W. room is a wide fireplace, and the timbers are visible in the walls.
The staircase, of early 17th-century date, with
moulded balusters, was probably brought from
elsewhere. The old trusses of the roof, with
cambered tie-beams and braced purlins, are
visible.
Condition—Good.
(67). Raans Farm, originally the manorhouse of Raans, about 1¾ miles N.E. of the
town, is of two storeys, partly of brick, partly
of flint with brick quoins. The roof is tiled.
It was built c. 1540, and the plan of the original
house was of half-H shape, the main block facing W., with a projecting central porch in front
and short wings projecting towards the E. at
the back; these wings are almost entirely
replaced by modern additions.
The house is an interesting example of a 16th-century building; the brick doorway of the
porch and some original stone-mullioned
windows are noticeable.
On the W. Elevation the gabled central
porch is of two storeys, and the outer doorway has moulded jambs and a four-centred
arch under a square head, with sunk spandrels
and a moulded label, all of brick; over it is a
square stone carved with a shield of arms,
probably of Proby, mantled helm and crest:
the inner doorway has moulded oak jambs with
stops, and a four-centred arch under a square
head; the door is of eight panels, with moulded
styles, plain rail, strap-hinges and knocker:
the window above the entrance is original, and
of three four-centred lights, with moulded
stone mullions and jambs, under a square head
with a moulded stone label; other windows, in
the sides of the porch on the first floor, are
blocked, but the four-centred lights can be seen
inside; in the apex of the gable is a small
circular window, now blocked. On each side of
the porch, on the ground floor, are two square
modern windows, and about 2 ft. above them are
the moulded stone labels of the original windows: the upper storey has four windows, each
of three lights; one window is modern, the
others are cemented, probably over the original
stone. Under the eaves is a moulded brick
cornice, restored with wood above the modern
window. A moulded stone plinth extends the
length of the wall and is continued round the
porch. The S. Elevation is faced with flint and
has brick quoins; it has one gable, from the
apex of which the roof slopes on the E. side to
the level of the first floor; a small part of the
original S.E. angle of the main block appears
below the eaves; the doorways and windows are
irregularly placed, and are probably re-set:
below the gable is an original four-light window, now blocked, with moulded stone jambs
and mullions, and a four-centred brick
relieving arch; partly under it, on the
ground floor, is a modern window, and under
the lower slope of the roof, on the E., is
a blocked doorway with chamfered brick jambs,
four-centred arch and square head; E. of the
doorway is a single-light window, and above it
a three-light window with stone mullions
and moulded label, all original. The E. Elevation has been much altered, and the walls
are almost entirely covered with plaster; one
three-light window remains, with original
stonework and moulded label; it is now
blocked, and above it are two windows of two
lights, without labels, of which only the heads
are original. A low projection at the N.E.
corner is of the same width as the former wing
and is of old bricks, probably re-used. The N.
Elevation is of brick, partly covered with
plaster and much hidden by ivy. The single
gable has a small circular brick window, now
blocked; on the ground floor is an original two-light window, and near it, lower down in the
wall, a single, four-centred light. In the
eastern extension on this side are two original
stone windows of two lights, with moulded
labels; both are blocked. On the E. side are
two rectangular chimneys of original thin
bricks. Interior:—In the kitchen the wide fireplace has been partly blocked, and a small cupboard in the wall has an original door. Two
rooms on the first floor have overmantels, each
of six richly moulded panels in bolection-moulded framing, and one room has moulding
round the fireplace, some panelling, and a door,
of late 17th-century date.
Condition—Good.
(68). Woodside Farm, stands on high ground
about 1 mile N.E. of the church, and is of two
storeys, built of brick. The roofs are tiled.
The original house was built early in the 17th
century; it was enlarged c. 1680, and again
enlarged and much restored late in the 18th or
early in the 19th century. The plan was
originally rectangular, facing N., with a projecting chimney stack on the S.; the addition
of c. 1680 is a continuation of the building
towards the W., projecting slightly towards the
N.; the modern extension forms a wing on the
S.W., and some low buildings have been added
S. and E. of the original house, making the present plan roughly of half-H shape. The N.
(front) Elevation is almost entirely of 18th-century brick; the E. end has been re-faced with
modern brick, but a post in the wall marks the
E. corner of the original building, which was
evidently timber-framed. The S. Elevation is
modern, the wall between the wings in the
middle having been re-faced. The W. Elevation has, at the N. end, red bricks with black
glazed headers, of late 17th-century date; the S.
end is modern. The E. Elevation is modern.
The chimney stack at the back of the original
house has been made lower and is not used.
The addition has a chimney stack at the
W. end. Interior:—In the original building is a large fireplace with chimney corners,
old chamfered beams in the ceilings, and over
the dairy at the E. end is a chamber said to have
been a secret meeting-place of the Quakers in
the 17th century; a blocked doorway on the first
floor, and what appears to be a blocked trap
door in the same room were probably the
original entrances; a doorway opens into it from
the one-storeyed addition at the back of the
house. In the late 17th-century addition are
some chamfered ceiling-beams.
Condition—Good.