Building record COM 064 - The Old Hall

The Old Hall contains the former open hall of a timber-framed house dating from circa 1400, and preserves one of the most impressive crown-post open trusses in the region. Its neighbour to the south (left), known as Mid Cottage, contains the ‘new’ parlour cross-wing added to the house in circa 1600 when a chimney was inserted into the original parlour. Both properties are listed at grade II star. The medieval house reflected the standard domestic layout of its period, with a central hall flanked by a parlour on the left and a pair of service (storage) rooms on the right, but the service bay has been demolished and its site is now occupied by a 19th century lean-to. There is evidence in the truncated gable of a blocked original service doorway and a secondary, ovolo-moulded lintel of the early-17th century, but the historic fabric is largely hidden by 20th century boarding and plaster. The present ground-floor ceiling is an insertion of the 16th century, but the area of the former open hall is currently sub-divided by partitions of the 19th and 20th centuries. Some of these partitions could be removed without detriment to the historic fabric and integrity of the building. The existing hall fireplace is a late-20th century addition which lacks merit, and there is evidence of an earlier fireplace in the rendered chimney. It appears, however, that the original fireplace of circa 1600 has been extensively altered or rebuilt, perhaps in order to accommodate the bread oven which adjoins the front of the chimney (S1).