History in Structure

John of Gaddesden's House

A Grade II* Listed Building in Little Gaddesden, Hertfordshire

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Coordinates

Latitude: 51.8104 / 51°48'37"N

Longitude: -0.5611 / 0°33'40"W

OS Eastings: 499292

OS Northings: 213401

OS Grid: SP992134

Mapcode National: GBR F4L.GXW

Mapcode Global: VHFRR.7R6H

Plus Code: 9C3XRC6Q+5G

Entry Name: John of Gaddesden's House

Listing Date: 14 May 1952

Grade: II*

Source: Historic England

Source ID: 1100427

English Heritage Legacy ID: 157719

ID on this website: 101100427

Location: Little Gaddesden, Dacorum, Hertfordshire, HP4

County: Hertfordshire

District: Dacorum

Civil Parish: Little Gaddesden

Built-Up Area: Little Gaddesden

Traditional County: Hertfordshire

Lieutenancy Area (Ceremonial County): Hertfordshire

Church of England Parish: Little Gaddesden

Church of England Diocese: St.Albans

Tagged with: Architectural structure

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Little Gaddesden

Description


LITTLE GADDESDEN LITTLE GADDESDEN
SP 9913 (East side)

9/188 No. 29/30 (John of
14.5.52 Gaddesden's House)

GV II*

Court house, now a house. Circa 1500, altered to a house and extended in
late C17, restored 1898 and used as a village reading room, sold and
became a house c.1931, additions to front and N end of a C16 house from
Hawstead, Suffolk, and late C17 N wing from Wrestlingworth Manor, Beds,
1948-52 by Frank Jennings architect. 1½ storeys rear extension c.1978.
Timber frames on brick sills, exposed close studding on ground floor,
panelled radial pattern pargetting to 1st floor boldly jettied on W
front. Front wing higher red brick sill and exposed close-studding with
plastered panels. Steep old red tile roofs. 3-light flush casement
windows with iron opening lights and leaded glazing. A large 2-storeys
building facing W with 2-bays upper hall at S richly finished with bold
4ft jetty, and wide arched openings on S and W like original shop
windows. Stair on N possible original. N crosswing jettied at W gable
possibly contemporary, has higher floor levels and plainer treatment.
Gabled dormer in hipped front roof. Large chimney at junction of wings.
Front wing is former 2-bay open hall with inserted floor and large
internal red brick chimney from N Essex. 2 storeys N wing is painted
brick with modillioned eaves cornice and cross windows with leaded
glazing. The first-floor hall is unequalled in Herts for the profusion
and quality of its ornament (RCHM Typescript) and presumably served a
communal purpose such as a Marriage Feast House or a Court House. The
connection of the C14 physician John O'Gaddesden with the present
building must be spurious. Close studding, moulded arched wind braces,
moulded cambered tie-beams with carved knee braces to moulded jowled
posts. 2 intermediate trusses in clasped-purlin roof each with cambered
collars and solid arched braces with carved spandrels and stub tie-beams
with human heads (renewed by Lawrence Tanner in plaster at
restoration). Conversion to a house in late C17 involved infilling of
wide ground floor openings, inserting large brick stack at N with lobby
entrance from W. Raised and fielded panelled ground floor room made by
taking in part of a lean-to. 1st floor probably partitioned at central
truss. Brick N wing with 1st floor corbelled on 3 moulded courses with a
kitchen on ground floor. Transplanted C16 front wing has crown-post roof
with 4-way bracing and octagonal post with moulded cap and base, also
fine moulded joists and main beam in inserted floor. 4-centre arched
chamfered brick fireplace, and diamond mullioned windows. Bolection
moulded fire surround on 1st floor of N wing. (RCHM(1911)144 no.5:
Pevsner (1977)237: RCHM Typescript: Senar(1983)90-91).


Listing NGR: SP9929213401

External Links

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