Fifteenth century timber framed building, The White Hart Hotel, Braintree (EHER 27918)

A 15th century timber framed and plastered building, with major alterations and additions in the 16th, 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. The earliest material is only visible as reused timbers in the present North bar and 'seminar room' having been rebuilt in the 16th century. The late 18th century saw the first extension of the building to the East, which was followed by two further phases of extension on this axis - one in 1830 and the next in 1960. The White Hart is a significant landmark which has grown and waned according to the economics of the times and reflects the changing needs of the community it serves.

October 1952. Grade II listed. A 17th century timber framed and plastered building, probably built on an L-shaped plan but with many 18th century and later alterations and additions. The original part is the block at the North end with a West front effectively closing the vista along Rayne Street. An 18th century gault brick wing, now painted, extends East with a front to Coggeshall Road and a farther late 18th century or early 19th century white gault brick wing extends at the East end. There are two-storeys and cellars. <1> See photos <2> <3>. 2002. Dendrochronological dating. Arcade post gave a felling date of c.1375. <4> April 2013. Heritage assessment. The White Hart hotel was originally built in the 15th century and timber frames from this period are still visible in the 'seminar room' and North bar, which preserve the original footprint of the building. During the 16th century, the North bar, which was in use as inn lodgings, was remodelled with a new moulded beam ceiling and reused timbers. The White Hart was not just an inn, it was a livery, a brewery and a District Court and no doubt housed all sorts of other smaller businesses. As a result, the building probably underwent multiple regular and less traceable changes to suit the changing needs of the businesses operating out of it. The next major phase of alteration, however, was during the late 18th century where the building was extended along the road to the East, with a brick-built extension, now visible as a unit of painted brickwork in the same colour as the plaster of the timber framed wing. This extension had a slack pitched grey slate roof, large sash windows and was given a rounded corner to prevent damage from carriages passing by. Shortly after, in the early 19th century, the timber framed building was refronted and vaulted brick cellars were constructed below, requiring some extensive rebuilding of the internal frame, timber floors, and ceilings. Around 1830, the building was extended once again to the East, with a second brick-built extension, this time in white gault brickwork with elegant round hounded Georgian sash windows, providing highly fashionable function rooms. Inside, the main staircase has a curtail step and stick balusters which are typical of this period and designed to impress. Historic photographs show that the main (Western) façade was altered incrementally during the early 20th century. The present 'white hart' sign in the front centre of the building first appeared in 1905, replacing an earlier lettered sign, though the hart (deer) is shown facing right rather than left as it is in the present day. Photographs from the 1950s show the hart facing left. A photograph from 1906 also shows a lettered sign reading 'White Hart Commercial House' on the Southern elevation at the corner of the building. A panoramicard from 1909 shows both signs in place, but by c.1910, the Southern sign has been replaced (though the new sign is not legible) and no sign is present on this end of the Southern façade in 1941. The decorative faux framing to the front (Western elevation) was put in place after 1909 but was originally painted white, now picked out in black against a roughcast render. The carriage arch was filled in during the mid 20th century and a set of double doors and glazed panels were fitted in the late 20th century. Finally, the building was further extended to the East in 1969 with a concrete and brick, typically mid-century, structure with a flat roof. It is set out on four cantilevered beams to form a jetty and is undershot to create parking, creating 'motel-style' hotel accommodation. This extension wraps around the North elevation to create an internal courtyard and is joined to the Northern wing of the original 15th century structure via a small connecting lobby structure. Late 20th century glass conservatories were also appended to the East elevation, inside the courtyard. The internal layout was significantly redesigned in the 1980s to give the present layout comprising North bar, South bar and 'seminar room', which replaced the previous format of 'saloon', 'public' and 'snug' bars. The White Hart is now owned by Greene King and the company proposes to update the inn with a major redecoration and several internal changes to the layout of the ground floor. Most of these involve the reversal of the late 20th century insertions. The aim is to improve the facilities, increase the size of the retail areas and redesign the flow process through the building to make it easier and more convenient to manage. <5> NRHE data transfer: The White Hart Hotel [NAT]. <6> The White Hart Inn, at the corner of Bocking End and Coggeshall Road, 1 1/2 miles S of the parish church, was probably of L-shaped plan with the wings extending towards the S and E. In the 18th century an E wing was added at the S end, making the plan of half H-shape. The W front has an open entrance in the middle, and a wooden eaves-cornice. Inside the building, in the main block, enclosed in a cupboard, is an original window of three lights, with moulded mullions, now blocked; in the roof is a cambered tie-beam and a king-post with two curved struts. <7>