Listed Building: READ HALL (279401)

MICKFIELD NORWICH ROAD TM 16 SW 2/150 - Read Hall 26-7-79 - II Former farmhouse, early C15 with major remodelling of early C17 and restoration of c.1970. A 3-cell open-hall house with an added parlour block. 2 storeys, the parlour block with attics. Timber-framed and plastered; some framing is exposed on the north wall. The parlour block has ovolo-moulded oversailing gable tie-beams at front and rear, and beneath them are enriched console-brackets. Plaintiled roofs; an early C17 axial chimney of pink/buff bricks with a sawtooth shaft. Various windows: restored full-height windows of 8 lights with transomes at both front and rear of the open hall with square mullions. Other restored windows have C15 square and C16 diamond mullions. In the parlour block are oriels with side-lights, all ovolo-moulded and of C17 design but mainly reconstructed c.1970. Boarded C20 entrance door at cross-entry position with 2-centred arched head. The 2-bay open hall has a central open truss, with an arch-braced tie-beam supporting a long octagonal crownpost with simple crudely-cut capital and base, and slender 4-way braces (2 are restored). Much exposed close-studding, and at the service end unchamfered heavy floor joists. The parlour block has good plain framing, with close-studding, wind-braced clasped-purlin roof, and ovolo-moulded main beams. Suffolk Houses: Sandon, 1977 (see drawings by John Le Comber, p.76, f.f.) N.M.R. Listing NGR: TM1266962673