28. DENHAM.
(O.S. 6 in. (a)xlviii. S.E. (b)xlix. S.W. (c)liii. N.E.
(d)liv. N.W.)
Ecclesiastical
d (1). Parish Church of St. Mary, at the E.
end of the village, is built of flint with modern
stone dressings; the roofs are covered with lead.
The 12th-century church on the site probably
consisted of a nave of about the same size as the
present nave and a small chancel. The
Chancel was re-built and enlarged at the beginning of the 14th century. The Nave was re-built and the Aisles added c. 1460; the West
Tower is of about the same date, but may have
replaced an earlier tower. The North Vestry is
modern; the church has been restored and all
the tracery of the windows renewed.
The 16th-century effigies of Sir Edmund
Peckham and his wife, in the chancel (see
Plate, p. xxviii.), are of especial interest.
Architectural Description—The Chancel
(33 ft. by 19½ ft.) leans towards the S. and has
an E. window of three lights and tracery; the
external stonework is modern, but the internal
jambs and rear arch with moulded label are of
early 14th-century date; the jambs have attached shafts with moulded bases, re-cut, and
moulded capitals. In the N. wall is a modern
doorway and, at the W. end, a low side window
of two lancet lights, and of early 14th-century
date, partly restored. In the S. wall is a low
side window similar to that in the N. wall, also
restored, and further E. is a modern window.
The chancel arch is modern. The Nave (37½ ft.
by 20 ft.) has N. and S. arcades of c. 1460, and
of three bays, with moulded two-centred arches;
the columns are of four half-round shafts
separated by hollow chamfers; the bases and
capitals are moulded. On the N. face of the
E. respond of the N. arcade are the remains
of a doorway with rebated jambs and three-centred head, which formerly opened into the
stairs to the rood-loft. The windows of the
clearstorey are modern. The North Aisle
(11½ ft. wide) has one window in each wall,
all of three lights with tracery of 15th-century design; the inner jambs and rear arches
are original. The South Aisle (10 ft. wide) has
windows similar to those in the N. aisle, and
the 15th-century S. doorway has moulded jambs
and head, the inner member two-centred, the
outer member and label square, with quatrefoils in the spandrels, and a small carved ornament in the middle. The West Tower (15½ ft.
by 15 ft.) is of two stages, with a modern embattled parapet. The two-centred tower arch
and the jambs are moulded; the bases are also
moulded. The W. doorway resembles the S.
doorway, but is plainer; the window above it is
blocked by the face of the clock, but has original
inner jambs and rear arch. The bell-chamber
has four windows, each of two lights with
17th-century brickwork in the inner splays and
modern external stonework; on each side of each
window is a rough round-headed opening without stone dressings. The low-pitched Roofs of
the chancel and nave are of the 15th century,
and have moulded ridges, purlins, wall-plates
and large beams with arched brackets; the
principals in the nave rest on stone corbels
with carved heads, except two, which are plain;
the 15th-century roofs of the aisles are penelled
and have moulded beams and wall-plates.
Fittings—Bells: eight, 4th, 5th, 6th, and
7th by James Bartlett, 1683. Brasses and Indents. Brasses: In chancel—on E. jamb of
S.E. window, in a frame, fixed on hinges, (1)
of Amphillis, daughter of Sir Edward Pekham,
1445, with inscription and shield bearing arms
—a cheveron between three crosslets fitchy,
quartering a fesse between three molets—all
palimpsest, on figure said to be of Franciscan
friar, with Latin inscription to John Pyke,
and shield, on which are two instruments,
crossed saltire-wise, possibly hook and rod,
and initials JMPS, interpreted as John Pyke,
Magister Scolarum, probably early 15th-century. In nave—before chancel step, set in
modern slab, (2) of Walter Duredent, 1494,
figures of knight in plate armour, Agnes and
Margareta, his wives, three sons and four
daughters of one wife, nine sons and ten
daughters of the other, with inscription and
four shields bearing arms; (3) of Robert Thornhill, of Tuxford, 'parson of Denham', 1612,
figure in gown and scarf, or stole; (4) of three
boys and one girl, probably early 16th-century; (5) to Thomas Bedyll, 'fermer of Denhm
Courte,' 1527, M'garett and Johan, his wives,
inscription only; (6) of Agnes Jordan, last
Abbess of Syon, 1544, in her habit, inscription
in black-letter, date filled in at a later period.
Indents: see monument (2). Font: of Purbeck marble, octagonal, tapering bowl, chamfered at the bottom, on each side two slightly
recessed panels with pointed heads, circular
stem surrounded by eight small shafts, early
13th-century, base and two of the shafts
modern. Monuments: In chancel—in N.E.
corner, not original position, (1) of Sir
Edmund Peckham, 1564, and his wife, 1570,
altar-tomb with recumbent effigies, hands
broken, the knight in plate armour, his wife in
a robe with cape and ruff, modern inscription on his helm, inscription on cushion under
her head; base with fluted Doric pillars, edge
of slab at the top moulded and enriched on the
four sides; in S.E. corner, (2) altar tomb of
Purbeck marble, slab with indent of inscription
and having moulded edge on N. and E. sides
only, N. side of base with indent for large
brass in the middle, and two sub-cusped quatre-foiled panels, containing indents of shields;
on S. wall, (3) of Philippe Edelen, 1656, 'a
constant preacher of the truth in the most difficult times wherein he lived', slab, with incised figure and inscription; (4) to Sir Robert
Peckham, Privy Councillor to Queen Mary,
died in Rome, 1569, his heart only buried in
this church, inscription and achievement of
arms, heart cut in pediment of tablet. In nave
—on E. wall, N. side, (5) to John Sowthen,
1631. In N. aisle—on N. wall, W. end, (6) to
Mary Coggs, 1694, Martha Coggs, 1696, and
others, 18th-century, inscription and arms,
white marble, classic detail. In S. aisle—on S.
wall, E. end, (7) to Sir William Bowyer,
knight, 1616, his son, Sir Henry Bowyer,
knight, 1613, his son, Sir William Bowyer,
knight and baronet, 1679, and Margaret, his
wife, 1678, inscription and arms, erected by
their son, Sir William Bowyer, baronet, of
Denham Court, 1682, black and white marble,
classic detail. Painting: over S. doorway, part
of a Doom, 15th-century, upper part defaced.
Plate: includes cup of 1673, bearing the date
1675.
Condition—Good, restored; two iron tie-rods
across the chancel; bases of arcades damaged.
Secular
d(2). Denham Court, house, moat, and fishpond, nearly ½ mile E. of the church. The
House is a large building, partly of two, and
partly of three storeys. All the walls are of
brick, some being covered with cement; the
roofs are of slate. The present W. wing is the
only remaining part of the original house, built
about the middle of the 17th century; the rest
was built or re-built in the 18th and 19th centuries. The W. wing has no original details,
and the chimney stacks are covered with
cement. Interior:—Some thick walls in the
main block are probably part of the original
building. The room at the N. end of the W.
wing is said to have been formerly the kitchen
and to have had an open timber roof, but now
has an upper floor inserted in it. The staircase
is of late 17th-century date, and has a moulded
handrail and turned balusters.
The E. arm of the Moat is formed by the
river Colne.
Condition—Of house and moat, good.
b(3). The Savoy, house and moat, stands
about 5/8 mile N.N.E. of the church. The House
is of two storeys, almost entirely timber-framed, with brick filling; the roofs are tiled.
The plan is H-shaped, facing W. The Great
Hall in the main block (the present Hall and
Dining Room) was built doubtless as early as
the 14th century, and had narrow aisles, 4½ ft.
wide, on the E. and W., divided from it
by wooden arcades; the W. aisle has been
removed, but part of the E. aisle remains in
situ. The existing work shows that the size of
the Great Hall, without the aisles, was at least
36 ft. by 15½ ft., with arcades of two bays, but
as the width of the N. wing of the present building is equal to a bay of the hall, it is not impossible that the hall was of three bays and extended to the present N. wall, in which are
traces of a contemporary staircase that would
have joined the N.E. angle of the hall, and
would have led to a great chamber above the
screens, etc., now abolished. The south or solar
wing (the present Drawing Room) is of later
date, and was added possibly at the end of the
14th century; its length was equal to the width
of the Great Hall and aisles, but subsequently,
probably late in the 15th century, it was
lengthened towards the E. by the addition of
the present Entrance Hall. The N.E. wing,
containing the present Study, was built probably a little later than the solar. The upper
floor was inserted in the Great Hall about the
middle of the 16th century, when the central
chimney stack was built; it is probable that the
N. wing was then partly remodelled, and that
the staircase in the angle of the wing with the
main block was added at the same time. The
present main staircase, in the angle with the
S.E. wing, is of early 17th-century origin. The
modern work includes the rebuilding of the
W. half of the N. wing, containing the Kitchen
and Offices, alterations and additions E. of the
main block, and alterations to both staircases.
The building is of especial interest as a fine
example of a mediæval timber-framed house; it
retains exceptionally complete evidence of the
Great Hall with aisles, apparently the only
instance of the kind in South Buckinghamshire. The remains of the mural paintings
are unusually numerous and well preserved.
The Savoy, Denham
Elevations:—The wing at each end of the
W. Elevation is gabled; in the N. wing
the gable-head is of modern plaster and
the lower part of the wall of modern brick;
the upper storey of the S. wing projects, but
the floor-joists appear to be restored, and also
some of the timbers; the barge-board is modern;
the wings project only slightly beyond the main
block, which has old vertical timbers and 16th-century brick filling. The mullioned window-frames are modern, but the door next to the
N. wing is probably of the 15th century, and
is of oak battens with strap-hinges. The S.
Elevation is much covered with ivy; in the W.
half is a projecting chimney stack, probably
old, but hidden by the ivy; in the E. half the
wall sets back and the roof is lower; the main
entrance has a modern porch, and all the windows have modern frames. The E. Elevation
has a gable at the end of each wing; the end
of the S. wing has old vertical timbers, apparently re-used; the brick filling is apparently
of the 18th century, and the head of the gable
is plastered; the N. side of the wing is of 18th-century red brick, except a vertical post remaining on each side of the modern projecting
chimney stack. The staircase, in the angle of
the wing with the main block, and a modern
addition on the N., are covered with ivy. The
main block is of modern brick, of one storey,
with the roof of the original hall carried down
over it, and containing a modern gabled dormer; the central chimney stack is of thin
bricks; a door of the 14th or 15th century has
been re-hung in the E. wall, and has strap-hinges
similar to those on the W. door. The smaller
staircase in the angle of the main block with
the N. wing is of 16th-century brick and
timber; the roof of the N. wing is carried down
over this staircase. The N. wing projects further towards the E. than the S. wing, and has,
in the S. wall, old timber-framing with brick
filling of a later date; the gabled E. end is
similar, but partly of 17th-century brick; the
head of the gable is covered with cement. All
the windows in this elevation have modern
frames, and there is a small modern verandah.
The W. half of the N. Elevation projects
slightly and is of modern brick; the E. half is
of old timber-framing, but the brick filling has
been restored; E. of the modern projection, on
the ground floor, is a doorway with a pointed
head, probably of the 14th century; it is of
wood, with chamfered edges, and was formerly
the entrance to the original staircase; on the first
floor, E. of the other, is a similar doorway;
both are now filled in, and the lower doorway
contains a window; a post between the doorways was probably the central newel of the
winding stairs. The easternmost window on
the ground floor is original, of two lights, with
oak mullions and frame; the other windows on
both floors are modern.
Interior:—In the E. wall of the present hall,
or S. half of the Great Hall, are two original
posts, with part of an archway which formerly
opened into the E. aisle; a third post between
the two was probably inserted in the 16th century to support the upper floor; in the W. wall
is one heavy post, which probably formed part
of a similar archway; the ceiling is of heavy
16th-century timbers, one beam has moulded
edges and a panelled soffit with a Tudor rose
in the middle; the other beams and floor-joists
are plain; in the N. wall is a large open fireplace of the 16th century; on the E. wall is a
partly obliterated painting of a shield in a
wreath, bearing arms—a quarterly coat—of
the same date, and on the soffit of the arch
are some traces of painting and a black-letter
inscription. The dining room, or N. half of the
Great Hall, has two old beams in the ceiling,
with notches or mortises for the former floorjoists; the ceiling is now plastered; the large
open fireplace in the S. wall retains the original
lintel, but the wall is re-faced with modern
brick; some panelling on the N. and S. walls is
of late 17th-century date, made up with modern
work. The passage, E. of the hall, has been
partly widened, and the N. end thrown into
the dining-room; in the W. wall can be seen
the posts and archway opening into the hall,
and showing signs of the former cross-beam
and upright against the post, apparently all cut
out of the solid. The entrance hall, in the E.
half of the S. wing, has in the N. and S. walls
projecting posts with chamfered edges and
stops, and struts to support the ceiling-joist
between them; the N. post has mortise-holes,
etc., probably indicating the position of a
former partition; in the N.W. corner is a
detached post, with grooves and three-quarter
edge-rolls; the ceiling is of open timbers. The
principal staircase, N.W. of the entrance hall,
is partly of early 17th-century date, and partly
modern; it is dog-legged, and has square newels
with ball heads, turned balusters, and a
moulded handrail. The drawing room, W. of
the entrance hall, has heavy posts with chamfered uprights in the S. and E. walls; on the N.
side is a recess, 3½ ft. deep and the width of the
original Great Hall adjoining it, with a post in
the middle, detached from the wall, and grooved
for a partition, with remains of painted ornament on the W. side; this recess seems to indicate that the upper part, or gable, of the hall
formerly projected, and that when the wing was
built the post, and another in the room above
it, were inserted as supports for the roof, on
the plane of the projection, but the lower part
of the original S. wall of the hall was retained:
the ceiling of the drawing room is of open
timbers with heavy beams and joists; in the
middle, a square opening, now filled in, was
evidently constructed for an original staircase
from the S. end of the E. aisle of the Great
Hall; the fireplace, in the S. wall, is of late
16th or early 17th-century date, of clunch and
thin bricks with a wood lintel, but one stone
shows the springing of a Tudor arch; the room
is lined with oak panelling, also of the 16th
or 17th century. In the E. half of the N. wing
the walls of the study have heavy plain posts
with curved struts; near the end of the N. wall
is the archway of the former staircase (see N.
elevation), the jambs have blocked mortiseholes for the steps; the ceiling has a heavy beam
from N. to S. and old rough square joists, with
plaster filling; the part E. of the beam was
probably the ceiling of a cellar. The servants'
hall, N. of the dining-room, has two old beams
in the ceiling.
On the first floor the room over the S. half of
the Great Hall shows part of the original open
timber roof, with heavy cambered tie-beams,
king-posts, and curved struts, supporting a
central purlin below the collar-beams; the uprights, forming partitions above the tie-beams,
and the rafters are exposed: the fireplace in
the N. wall has been altered; a door opening
into a large closet next to the chimney stack
is of old oak: on the S. and E. walls are remains
of painting, dated 1606, representing Biblical
and other scenes, the figures in Jacobean costume; on the E. wall is a figure, probably intended for James I. The passage E. of this
room is part of the original E. aisle of the hall;
one timber, forming half of an arch of the
arcade, remains; the other half has been removed, and the rest of the arcade is not
visible; at the N. end of the passage are two
16th-century arches at the head of the smaller
staircase, which is now modern internally.
The room over the N. half of the Great Hall is
completely modern. The room over the drawing room has a high-pitched roof, open to the
collar-beams, which are supported by a central
purlin carried on king-post trusses, with curved
struts and heavy cambered tie-beams; the room
is divided into two bays, the middle truss being
supported by a post in the S. wall, and a
detached post on the N. resembling that in the
room below (see drawing room); the large recess
on the N. side is caused by the former projection at the end of the great hall, and in the N.
wall of the recess, the heavy cambered tie-beam
with notches and peg-holes for former uprights,
is probably one of the original external timbers
of the hall. The room over the study in the N.
wing has old timbers in the walls, and heavy
cross-beams with curved struts in the flat
plastered ceiling.
The Moat is partly natural, fed by the river
Colne.
Condition—Of house, good; of moat, fairly
good.
c(4). Southlands Farm, house, barns, moat,
and fishpond, 3½ miles S. by S.W. of the church.
The House is of two storeys and an attic; it was
built in the 16th century or possibly earlier,
and was originally timber-framed with brick
or plaster filling, but was considerably restored
and altered in the 19th century. The roofs are
tiled. The plan is T-shaped; the vertical
wing extends towards the W., and contains the
drawing and dining rooms, the arrangement of
the beams in the ceilings indicating that they
were possibly originally one room, although
the chimney stack between them is old; in the
width of the stack, on the N. side, is an entrance
lobby, and at the W. end of the wing is a
modern one-storeyed addition. The horizontal
wing probably extended further towards the
N.; it contains the kitchen and dairy, originally one room, with a room S. of the kitchen; at
the N. end is a large covered gateway opening
into a courtyard. In the S.W. angle between the
wings is an entrance lobby, and at the S. end of
the E. front is an extension, of later date than
the rest of the house, containing the brew-house,
etc., with a modern addition on the E. The
E. front shows some original timber-framing,
with modern brick filling, but is much hidden
by ivy; the walls of the gateway are timber-framed with brick filling; the angle posts and
two large joists have brackets supporting the
overhanging upper storey, which is gabled on
the E. and W., and has timber-framed walls
with plaster filling. The N. wall of the vertical wing is covered with plaster; the S. walls
are almost entirely hidden by ivy, but, at the
W. end, show some original timbers; at the E.
end the lower storey is of modern brick and the
upper storey of lath and plaster. Two chimney
stacks are old, and have square shafts built of
thin bricks.
Interior:—The ceiling-beams in the drawing
and dining rooms are encased. In the kitchen
and dairy there is one longitudinal beam and
two stop-chamfered cross-beams in the ceiling,
with posts in the walls and one large brace
between the two rooms. In the room S. of the
kitchen a large detached post and some mortises
in a beam indicate the possible position of the
original staircase; the ceiling-joists in this
room are exposed. The E. wall of the brewhouse shows the original timber-framing and
plaster filling. Some original doors remain, and
are of moulded battens with strap-hinges. On
the first floor some of the rooms have cambered
beams in the ceilings, and others have original
timbers in the walls and ceilings; the floors
have old oak boards, and there is one original
door of oak battens.
Three Barns, one adjoining the gateway at
the N. end of the house, the other two forming
an L-shaped block W. of the house, were built
probably in the 17th century. The walls are
almost entirely timber-framed and weather-boarded, but one barn is partly of brick; the
roofs have large queen-post trusses with curved
brackets and wind-braces, and are covered with
tiles.
The Moat, S.W. of the house, is fed by the
river Bourne.
Condition—Of house, good, but the ivy on
the walls will damage them unless the growth
is checked; of barns, moat, and fishpond, fairly
good.
a(5). Denham Marsh Farm, about 1½ miles
N.W. of the village, is a house of two storeys.
The main block, facing W., was built probably
in the 16th century; a small N.E. wing was
added late in the 17th century, a large S. wing
and a W. porch were built in the 19th century.
The front is of modern brick; the N. end has
a gable covered with cement, and a large projecting chimney stack with a rectangular shaft
of old thin bricks, much restored. The N.E.
wing is of 17th-century brick and timber, partly
covered with cement and gabled at the E. end.
The back of the house has been re-faced. The
roofs are tiled. The central chimney stack of
the original building is of old thin bricks,
restored at the top. Interior:—The three 16th-century rooms on the ground floor have original
ceiling-beams and exposed joists; the hall has
an open fireplace, partly restored, and the wide
fireplace in the N. room is of thin bricks, apparently old. The trusses of the roof, with purlins, wind-braces and rafters, are exposed in
the ceilings of three rooms on the first floor.
Condition—Good, much restored. The walls
of the N.E. wing bulge outwards, but have been
bolted.
b(6). Denham Place, ¼ mile N.W. of the
church, is of two storeys, with basement and
attic. It was re-built on the site of an older
house late in the 17th century. The walls are
of brick, with chamfered plinth and rusticated
quoins of rubbed brick; the steep-pitched roofs
are tiled, and have flat tops covered with lead.
The house is a fine example of a domestic
building of late 17th-century date; the late
15th or early 16th-century woodwork in the
chapel (see Plate, p. 300), the ornamental
plaster ceilings, especially in two rooms on the
ground floor, and the tapestries are especially
interesting.
The plan is H-shaped, with the wings
at the N. and S. ends, and the principal
entrance on the E. The main block contains,
on the ground floor, the hall and main staircase, the dining room, a small ante-room and a
second narrow staircase. In the N. wing is the
chapel, with ante-chapel, the billiard room and
drawing room, and in the S. wing the library,
kitchen and offices. All the walls have a projecting string-course between the storeys, and
under the eaves a massive wood cornice, with
egg and tongue ornament and large carved
modillions. The entrance doorway and all the
window-frames are comparatively modern. All
the chimney stacks are square and have recessed
panels in each side.
Interior:—The hall has a ceiling with a large
coved cornice and a moulded panel with monogram of six letters. The staircase has a moulded
panelled ceiling above the first floor, with the
arms of Hill impaling Lockey in the middle,
and on the walls are five panels of tapestry,
representing battle scenes and separate figures.
The walls of the chapel are lined with linen
panelling in moulded frames, 7 ft. 8 in. high,
with a richly carved frieze and moulded cornice; the seats have moulded panelled backs
and traceried standards, each having a carved
head surmounted by an eagle holding a sprig
of foliage; two standards have the arms of Hill
instead of tracery: the square pulpit in the
N.W. corner has linen panels with the arms of
Hill in one panel, and the pew opposite has
three similar panels, one carved with the arms
of Hill, the others with a double-headed eagle:
the screen between the chapel and ante-chapel
is of six bays, each of three trefoiled lights with
elaborate tracery in the heads; the panels below
are in two divisions, with traceried heads: all
the woodwork in the chapel is of late 15th or
early 16th-century date, and is painted and
gilded; it is said to have been brought from
Somersetshire. The E. window contains twenty-four coats of arms, chiefly of Hill, impaling
and quartering other coats. The ante-chapel is
also lined with linen panelling, some with small
folds in high relief, probably of the 15th century; the gallery over the ante-chapel has an
elaborately pierced front, carved in the style of
Grinling Gibbons, and panelled walls with
carved mouldings; the moulded ceiling has a
monogram; in the E. window is some 17th-century heraldic glass with six shields bearing
arms. The walls of the billiard room have
large bolection-moulded panels and five pieces
of tapestry, representing various scenes with
human figures; the deep, coved frieze is
ornamented with plasterwork in high relief,
painted, representing country scenes and figures
of a cupid and tortoise; the panelled plaster
ceiling has the figure of a cupid in the middle,
and at each end the date 1693; the fireplace is
of black marble, with Corinthian pilasters. The
drawing room has a deep coved frieze, with
scenes illustrating various sports and a shield
with arms of Hill impaling Lockey, all modelled
in high relief, only the arms are painted; the
panelled ceiling is decorated with designs of
musical instruments, foliage, etc., in relief;
the plaster-work of both these rooms is said to
be Dutch. The library, and the ante-room in
the central block, have panelling with carved
mouldings of late 17th-century date; in each
room the deep wood cornice is covered with egg
and tongue ornament, and a small plaster figure
is suspended from the ceiling of the ante-room.
The cellars extend under the whole house, and,
with the exception of the part under the library,
now used as a servants' hall, have intersecting
brick vaulting, supported by circular stone
columns with moulded bases and capitals; the
brick pilasters against the walls have similar
capitals and bases. On the first floor the room
over the hall has a plain coved cornice and a
panelled ceiling with gilded initials in the
middle. The room over the billiard room has
a coved plaster cornice with wreaths, birds, etc.,
in relief; the central panel of the ceiling is
painted with mythological figures. The walls
of the room above the drawing room are
covered with large panels, and the coved plaster
cornice is ornamented with palm and acanthus
leaves, and a series of coats of arms, Hill impaling others; the ceiling has, in the central
panel, coloured plasterwork, representing an
inn, and over the fireplace is a large painting,
on a wooden panel, of the interior of a foreign
church or cathedral. The room over the kitchen
has panelled walls and an enriched moulded
plaster ceiling. In the attic one room has a
17th-century carved oak fireplace and overmantel, now painted; the fireplace has a fluted
Ionic pilaster on each side, supporting a carved
and moulded cornice; the overmantel has four
small rusticated columns supporting an entablature with strapwork frieze, and moulded cornice with dentils: the central division is richly
moulded, and in the division on each side is
a round-headed niche containing a small carved
figure of a man; the walls of this room, including a cupboard door, are partly covered
with early 17th-century panelling, now painted.
The secondary staircase, S. of the hall, is of
late 17th-century date, and reaches from the
basement to the attic, in long straight flights;
it has square newels moulded at the top, a
moulded hand-rail and turned balusters. A
small winding staircase from the first floor to
the attic is of the same date and design.
Outbuildings:—The stables and coachhouse form a rectangular building, of late 17th-century date, built of brick, with a small wood
clock-turret; the roof is tiled. The boundary
walls of the garden, etc., are of the 17th
century, high and massive, of brick.
Condition—Good.
Main Street
d(7). Cottage, at the corner, opposite Denham Place, about 300 yards W.N.W. of the
church, is of two storeys, and apparently
modern, but has at the E. end a projecting
chimney stack built of 17th-century brick, with
a square shaft.
Condition—Good.
S. side, from W. to E.
d(8). Cottages, two, adjoining, about 300
yards W. of the church, are each of one storey
and an attic, built probably in the second half
of the 16th century, and timber-framed with
original brick filling, slightly restored. In front
the upper storey projects at the E. end, and
the gable is filled with lath and plaster; W.
of the gable are two dormer windows. Both the
chimney stacks are original, and have square
shafts.
Condition—Good.
d(9). House, probably formerly an inn, now
two cottages and a workshop, about 270 yards
W. of the church, is of two storeys, built late
in the 16th or early in the 17th century, of
brick and timber, restored with modern brick.
The roof is tiled. In front the original timber-framing of a wide gateway remains, but the
opening has been blocked. In the shorter wing
is the base of an original chimney stack, and
in the main block are two chimney stacks of
thin bricks, with square shafts. Inside the
house is an original newel staircase and some
of the floors have old boards. A small detached
Cottage, W. of the house, is probably of the
same date, and is timber-framed with plaster
filling, partly weather-boarded.
Condition—Fairly good.
d(10). The Post Office, about 230 yards
W.N.W. of the church, is a house of three
storeys and an attic, built late in the 17th century, of brick; the roof is tiled and hipped on
all sides. The plan is rectangular. Each wall
has plain projecting string-courses between the
storeys, and a moulded cornice under the eaves;
facing the street are two square dormer windows, and the entrance has an original flat
moulded canopy of wood, resting on three
carved brackets. One plain rectangular chimney stack is original. Inside the house the
17th-century staircase is of solid oak.
Condition—Good.
N. side, from W. to E.
d(11). House, now a shop and three cottages,
about 300 yards N.W. of the church, is of two
storeys, built of brick and timber in the 17th
century, and much restored in the 18th and
19th centuries. The roofs are tiled. The plan is
L-shaped; the front has a gable at each end,
and two dormer windows in the middle; the
chimney stack at the back, and the projecting
stack at the S.E. end, are of 17th-century brick.
Condition—Fairly good.
d(12). Cottages, two, adjoining, about 270
yards N.W. of the church, are each of two
storeys, built in the 17th century, but almost
entirely re-built in the 19th century. The N.W.
wall is of original brick and timber and another wall, probably old, is covered with
cement. The roofs are tiled.
Condition—Fairly good.
d(13). Cottages, three, adjoining, about 250
yards N.W. of the church, are each of two
storeys; the westernmost cottage is probably of
the 16th century, and is of original brick and
timber; in front the gabled upper storey projects, and is covered with plaster. The W. end
and the gable at the back are also of old brick
and timber. The second cottage was re-fronted
in the 18th century and has a modern wing at
the back; the gateway at the E. end is of old
thin bricks; some old posts in the walls and the
original doors, of battens with strap-hinges remain. The third cottage has a front of 17th-century brick. All the roofs are tiled.
Condition—Fairly good.
d(14). The White Swan Inn, about 200 yards
N.W. of the church, is of two storeys, and was
built probably in the 17th century, but has been
entirely re-faced with modern brick. The roof
is tiled. Inside the house a little early 17th-century panelling remains on the ground floor.
Condition—Fairly good.
d(15). Cottages, two, adjoining, about 130
yards N.W. of the church, are each of two
storeys, built probably in the 17th century, but
re-fronted and much restored in the 18th century. The roofs are tiled. The base of one
chimney stack is of old thin bricks.
Condition—Fairly good.
d(16). Cottages, three, adjoining, about 100
yards N.W. of the church, are of late 16th or
early 17th-century date, built of brick and
timber, much restored with modern brick. The
roofs are tiled. The gable at the N.W. end has
lath and plaster filling, and the N.W. chimney
stack is of old thin bricks, but has a modern
shaft. The central chimney stack is square,
with panels in each side, of old bricks, restored
at the top.
Condition—Fairly good; some timbers protected by boards or plaster.
d(17). Cottage, adjoining (16) at the E. end,
is of one storey and an attic, built of brick late
in the 17th century, now much restored; the
roof is tiled. In front is a gabled dormer window. The small original chimney has been
restored at the top.
Condition—Fairly good.
d(18). Hill House, 70 yards N.W. of the
church, is of two storeys, with cellar and attic,
built in the second half of the 17th century,
with an 18th-century addition at the S. end,
and restored in the 19th century. The walls
are of brick; the roofs are tiled. The plan is
rectangular, facing W. The front has three
original gables; two are curvilinear, the third,
in the middle, is stepped, with a sunk circular
panel in the apex; a fourth gable, at the S.
end, is of the 18th century: there is a projecting string-course between each storey,
broken by the doorway on the ground floor, and
by the heads of the windows on the first floor;
the windows are plain, rectangular, with heads
of rubbed brick; those on the first floor have a
small brick moulding over them. The back has
plain gables, and a plain unbroken string-course between each storey; the windows in the
gables have diamond-shaped panes, probably
original; the other windows are similar to those
in front, but have no mouldings on the first
floor; a doorway near the N. end has an original moulded frame, and a flat wooden canopy
supported on three carved brackets.
Interior:—On the ground floor most of the
ceiling-beams are covered with plaster; in the
hall is a large open fireplace; in another room
is a semi-circular recess of wood, with fluted
pilasters, and moulded cornice, of late 17th-century date. One staircase has square newels,
with turned tops, moulded rails and turned
balusters, apparently original, but all painted.
The upper part of the plain staircase leading to
the attic and the boards in the attic floor are
also original.
The walls surrounding the garden at the back
are of brick, and of the same date as the house.
Condition—Good.
d(19). Cottages, two, adjoining, about 40
yards S. of the church, were built in the first
half of the 17th century, almost entirely refaced with brick late in the 17th or early in
the 18th century, and partly covered with
rough-cast. The gabled N.E. end and part of
the back retain original timber-framing and
filling of thin bricks in the lower storey; the
roofs are tiled. The three windows on the
ground floor in front are of late 17th or early
18th-century date. The central chimney stack,
with square shafts, is original.
Condition—Fairly good.
d(20). Cottage, about 70 yards S. of the
church, is of two storeys, built in the second
half of the 17th century, of brick. The roof is
tiled.
Condition—Fairly good.
d(21). Denham Court Farm, 230 yards S.E.
of the church, is a house of two storeys and
an attic, built of brick; the roof is tiled. The
plan is rectangular, facing S.E.; the S.E. half
was built c. 1640, and the N.W. half was built
or re-built about a hundred years later; the two
blocks are of about the same size. The S.E.
front has a plain string-course at the level of
the first floor; the doorways and windows are
modern, except the four original dormers, one
a single light, the others of two lights each; a
small blocked opening on the ground floor at
the S.W. end formerly lighted a cupboard next
to the dining room fireplace. The S.W. side
of the house has two gables, the S. gable being
higher than the other; the string-course is continued to the end of the 17th-century block,
and in the middle is an original chimney stack,
restored at the top; on the first floor level, on
each side of the chimney stack, is a small
blocked window, which formerly lighted deep
cupboards. The N.E. side of the house has a
string-course and two gables similar to those
on the other side, and there is an original
chimney stack restored at the top; at the N. end,
on the ground floor, are an old mullioned window-frame and a door-frame, evidently re-used
from the older part of the house; and at the
back, which is chiefly modern, is a mullioned
window-frame on the ground floor, also of the
earlier date, re-set.
Interior:—The 17th-century part of the house
has, on the ground floor, chamfered beams in
the ceilings; the fireplaces have all been partly
blocked. Under the easternmost room is a
cellar, which has in the walls small recesses
with triangular heads. On the first floor is an
old oak staircase leading to the attic, in which
are some original oak doors.
Condition—Good.