Description

COMBS BILDESTON ROAD TM 05 SW

5/63 Moat Hall (formerly listed as Moat Farmhouse) 9.12.55

- II

Former farmhouse. Circa 1400, with alterations of c,1500, c.1600 and c.1970. An open-hall house with a partly later-medieval cross-wing at the left hand end. 2 storeys, and one storey with attics. Timber-framed and plastered, with C20 herringbone pargetting in panels. Thatched roofs, with C20 casement dormers. The cross-wing has a pair of cusped late C15 oak bargeboards on the west gable, removed c.1970 from the east gable (the house originally faced east). Axial chimneys: in the hall range is a mid C19 chimney of gault brick with 4 diagonally-set square flues on a sawtooth-banded base; a C19 axial chimney of red brick in the wing. Plastic casements of late C20, with leaded lights. A thatched gabled C20 entrance porch with boarded door. High quality C15 carpentry: the 2-bay open hall has a central truss, without its tie-beam, but retaining the octagonal c.1400 type crownpost with moulded capital and thick 4-way braces. Close-studding without visible windbracing. The roof is heavily smoke-encrusted. The parlour cell to right is original but altered, once having had a hipped roof. The hall has evidence for a rear cross-passage doorway with a 2-centred arched head. The cross-wing is of two 2-bays sections: the projecting part is apparently of c.1400 and contemporary with the hall, it was open and heavily smoke-encrusted, with a central crownpost truss, the crownpost being octagonal and with 2-way braces. The rebuilt section has a 2-bay solar with an open truss, the octagonal crownpost being well moulded in the late C15 manner (English Vernacular Houses: Mercer: HOM.S.O., Plate 56). An upper floor was inserted in the hall in late C16, with plain framing, and a chimney with back-to-back open fireplaces to hall and parlour. Major refurbishing of c.1970 following a period of dereliction; at this time a dogleg staircase taken from a demolished inn at Stowmarket was inserted into the hall; it has turned balusters and moulded newel finials of c.1600. A large wing of c.1980 on the east side is not of special interest. The house stands within a medieval moat. N.M.R photographs.

Listing NGR: TM0207054744

External Links

• Wikidata Q26573030

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  London 1: The City of London: City of London v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Care and Repair
• 
  Listed Buildings and Other Heritage Assets
• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  For the Record