Listed Building: BUCK'S HALL (281352)

THORNDON TM 16 NE 4/71 Buck's Hall GV II* Manor farmhouse. Mid C14 to rear, early C19 front range forming a double-pile plan. Renovated c.1970. Red brick front range, the right gable end cement- rendered. Timber framed and cement-rendered to rear. Plaintiled roof: clay tiles to front slope. 2 storeys to front, 1½ storeys to rear. 3 windows, mid C20 3-light mullioned casements with horizontal glazing bars; segmental arches. Further single-light windows each side of entrance. Central doorway: C19 4-panel door, C20 gabled open porch on heavy timber posts. Internal stack in older range, against rear wall of C19 wing. One-storey addition to right of rear range. Interior. Rear range comprises a 2-bay former open hall of high quality; the accompanying service end to the right is now replaced by work of c.1970. In the front wall is a very fine richly moulded ogee-headed doorway, over 2m high. Within each spandrel is a roundel, one carved with a sun, the other with 3 mouchettes. A similar but less well preserved doorway opposite is said to remain, concealed by plaster. The frame has a mid rail; much of the upper studding survives except in the wall which abuts the front range. Mid rail along cross-passage has moulding. Wallplate has an edge- halved and bridled scarf joint about 0.3m long, a very early example of its type. Within the roofspace both studded gables are intact, the upper one with undisturbed sooted plaster. Posts supporting open truss have remains of buttress-shafts. The open truss is of raised-aisle form. A cambered tie beam has heavy arched braces meeting at the centre: one side of this truss is cut away but the intact brace has struts to the tie beam and post. The tie beam carries square queen-posts with inner buttress-shafts carrying further braces to an upper tie beam, also cambered. Short solid braces to arcade plates, all intact. The upper tie beam carries a cross-quadrate crown-post with 4-way bracing. All the original collars and about 70% of the rafters survive. Just above each arcade plate is a plank cornice set square (cf. a similar arrangement at Church Farm Stable, Fressingfield). C16 inserted ceiling with chamfered cross beams and concealed joists. Stair in front range has C17 turned balusters, square panelled newels and contemporary handrail. Remains of medieval moat. Listing NGR: TM1670267347