Description

BISHOP AUCKLAND

NZ1826 FRONT STREET, West Auckland
634-1/10/180 (South side)
21/04/52 Nos.56 AND 57
The Old Hall
(Formerly Listed as:
WEST GREEN, FRONT STREET (S)
West Auckland
Nos.115 AND 116
The Old Manor House)

GV II*

House and office, originally farmhouse. C16, largely rebuilt
early C17, restored C20.
MATERIALS: uneven courses of sandstone rubble with quoins and
ashlar dressings. Plinth to second build at left of porch
which has change in character of masonry from regular courses
of ground floor to irregular rubble on first floor, suggesting
possible raising of earlier single storey building. Roof
pantiles with stone-flagged eaves and ashlar gable coping.
Stone chimneys with ashlar plinth and coping.
PLAN: double L-plan.
EXTERIOR: 2 storeys plus attics. 3:1:3 windows. Stone
mullioned windows throughout. Central 3-storey gabled porch
has plinth, and boarded door in moulded surround with shallow
elliptical head. Floor strings, and 3-light first floor and
2-light second floor windows recessed in hollow chamfered
surrounds. Shaped gable with blind slit in ogee gable peak.
Single lights on returns of first 2 floors.
First build to right has central inserted renewed door under
flat stone lintel. All windows have 3 lights recessed in
chamfered surrounds, with label dripmoulds. Ridge chimneys at
ends and on walls flanking passage behind porch. Returns each
have single light near front on ground floor, that on left
with small diamond inserts in replica of originals, that on
right blocked; first floor left has 2-light window in similar
position, and right has 2 single lights, that near front
blocked.
Rear elevation has central renewed door with draw-bar slot,
and 3-light windows in gabled wings.
INTERIOR: left part has flat Tudor-arched stone fire surround
in left gable on ground floor, and near rear on first floor.
Wide moulded fire against right wall to cross passage, and on
first floor a moulded fire surround against this wall.
Open-well closed-string stair in rear wing has splat balusters
and low grip handrail, dogleg upper flight partly restored,
and first-floor gallery inserted in same style. Rear wing
rooms have stone fire surrounds. Central cross passage has
draw bar slot at right of rear door, and niche in passage at
left rear passing hearth of room to left. Right part has no
fires visible in right gable; wide segmental-arched restored
fire opening against passage wall, and blocked fire on first
floor.
Beams supporting first floor have stopped chamfers except one
boxed-in with oak planks taken from attic; some new beams and
joists. Central door to rear wing has flat Tudor-arched head
with vestigial ogee slit. Rear wing has dogleg stair with
fragments of turned balustrade from Holywell. First-floor C17
door resited. Framing studs resited.
Roof partly inspected. Right build has truncated principals
with 2 levels of purlins open over main bedroom and ceiled at
collar. Left build has principal rafter trusses with high
collar and 2 levels of trenched purlins, wattle partitions,
and evidence of blocked windows in gables.
(Vernacular Architecture Group: North East Vernacular
Architecture Group: Spring Conference 9-13 April 1991 County
Durham: Durham: 37).

Listing NGR: NZ1801426251

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17536496

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.

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