Listed Building: HILL FARMHOUSE (280789)

The following building shall be upgraded to II*:- FELSHAM - TL 95 NE Hill Farmhouse 3/36 - 15.11.54 II and the entry shall be amended to read: TL 95 NE FELSHAM - 3/36 Hill Farmhouse - 15.ll.54 II* House, former farmhouse. Early C16 cross-wing, mid C16 hall range. Timber-framed, with some timbers exposed, but mainly plastered, with traces of simple pargetting. Gable-ended plaintiled roofs. 2 storeys and attics; hall-range-and-cross-wing plan, with both ranges jettied. A large internal chimney-stack to the cross-wing with 4 moulded attached octagonal shafts on a rectangular base; a small internal stack to the hall range with a single similar shaft. Plan: Main 2- storey hall range to right (now divided into 2 rooms) without a service end, is probably a rebuilding of an earlier hall. Large 2- storey cross-wing on left, of 2 rooms deep, is earlier than the extant hall range. An axial stack with back-to-back fireplaces was inserted circa 1600 into the cross-wing, but must have replaced an earlier stack. Exterior: Cross-wing to left has exposed studding on the ground storey of the east front; jetty supported on brackets, with the remains of carved capitals and moulded shafts down the front of the posts, and the joist-ends tenoned into a bressummer. 2 original 5- light outer windows with moulded mullions flank a larger blocked central window. On the upper storey there is a similar window arrangement, with the centre replaced by a 3-light C19 casement window and the side-lights continued round to the north and south sides. On the south side the row of lights was extended in matching style at a slightly later date up to the chimney-stack, although now partly interrupted by an inserted C20 casement window. Overhanging tie-beam with folded-leaf carving; a 4-light diamond-mullioned window in the apex of the gable. The hall range on right is jettied along the east side and has a small section of exposed studding to the ground storey. The jetty treatment is similar to that in the cross-wing. A C20 mock- timber entrance porch is flanked by 2 windows on each side: a 4-light and a 5-light window with mullions moulded in different styles, a C20 standard casement window and a curious small-paned window on the extreme right with a 4-centred arched head. Most remaining windows in the house are 2-light and 3-light C19 casements, but 2 sash windows with vertical glazing bars are in the rear ground storey of the cross- wing. The rear walls were damaged during the last War, and no early features remain. Interior: Cross-wing has a complete frame along the north side where it adjoins the hall range. In 4 bays, divided initially into 2 apparently unheated 2-bay rooms. A chimney-stack with 2 back-to-back hearths on the ground and first storeys was subsequently inserted into the third bay from the east, the partition wall was removed, and the jambs of 2 doorways were incorporated into the brickwork of the stack. The main ceiling beams, with a double roll-moulding and run-off stops, are exposed in both ground-storey rooms. The front upper room has exposed studding and moulded joists of the ceiling are concealed by later plaster. Many of the timbers, including the fireplace lintel, have traces of red ochre colouring. The attics are floored with wide old boards. The hall range is in 2 bays, and there are only the main components of the frame which abuts on the north wall of the cross-wing. There is a gap of about 12in between the two frames. A blocked secondary doorway in the wall of the wing gave access to the rear room, at one time used as a kitchen. The ground-storey ceiling has exposed joists with single roll-mouldings and main beams with double roll-mouldings and leaf stops. This range was later divided into two single-bay rooms, and a small chimney-stack was inserted between them with a shaft in imitation of the main stack. There is no surviving indication of original heating in this part of the house. On the ground storey the studding of the north wall was removed in the C18 and a lean-to added. Indications that this wall contained a doorway suggest that there may have been a further service bay which the lean-to replaced. Roofs over both ranges are in similar style, with clasped purlins and windbraces, and with extensive later strengthening. FELSHAM TL 95 NE 3/36 Hill Farmhouse 15.11.54 - II Former farmhouse. Built in two stages: a hall range of c.1530 and a parlour crosswing of c.1550. 2 storeys. Timber-framed and plastered; the hall range is long-wall jettied at 1st floor, and the crosswing is end-jettied, with a further jetty at the gable tiebeam above. A fascia-bressummer is moulded and is supported by brackets with pilaster shafts. Some close-studding is exposed at ground storey. Plaintiled roofs. An axial early C17 chimney of red brick in the crosswing has 4 octagonal flues on moulded bases, and set in line. A single octagonal chimney in the hall range is probably a C19 reproduction. C19 small-pane casements. C20 gabled plaintiled entrance porch with boarded door. Several roll-and-cavetto moulded mullions of C16 are exposed and glazed. To right is the original front cross-entry doorway, blocked, with a 'shallow carved 4-centred arched head. All ground storey rooms have moulded main beams, and the hall also has heavy moulded 1st floor joists. The front parlour and chamber above have extensive ranges of moulded mullioned windows. Back-to-back lintelled open fireplaces in the parlours were inserted in c.1600. There was probably a C16 service cell to right, which was demolished when the present lean-to extension was added. Listing NGR: TL9599257244