Wynters Armourie (EHER 33761)

Wynters Armourie is a Grade II*-listed building and is believed to date from the 13th or 14th century. It is a timber-framed hall house.

13th or 14th century timber framed hall house. <1> See EHER 3721 for the moat within which this house is located. 13th-14th century house, altered in the 16th century, restored in around 1935. Timber-framed and plastered, frame is wholly exposed externally, much of it internally also. Roofed with handmade clay tiles. Hall has three bays, is aligned approx. E-W, with entrance bay and incomplete spere truss at the east end. Two-bay parlour/solar cross-wing at the west end; two bay cross-wing at the east end is 16th century; 16th century rear service wing opposite axial chimneystack; 16th century rear stair tower at rear of hall/parlour partition. Hall is of unusual construction. There is evidence of a former crownpost. All the roof timbers are heavily smoke blackened. Not all the structure remains but the evidence for the missing parts is clear. A floor was inserted in the hall in the 16th century. The winding stair to the upper floor is mainly original. The NMR has a comprehensive set of photographs of the house. <2> <3> <4> Site Assessment: 'The hall is of unusual construction, the only close parallel known being at the Old Parsonage, Marlow, Bucks.. It is intermediate in development between the true aisled hall and derivatives of it such as the raised aisled halls and the base cruck hall. <2> <3> NRHE data import: Summary: The timber-framed hall house, which stands towards the southern end of the moated enclosure, was formerly known as 'Winters', and it is believed that this name is derived from the family of Alice de Winter, first mentioned in 1248. The house dates from the 13th-14th century and was altered in the 16th century and restored circa 1935. The timber framing is plastered, with the frame wholly exposed, whilst the roof is of handmade red clay tiles. The house is Listed Grade II* whilst the moat is Scheduled. Description: The timber framed house, of which the central block originally consisted, is a partially aisled hall of two bays; probably dating from the 13/14th century. It has 15th and 16th century alterations. <3> <5> <6> A survey of Wynter's Armourie points conclusively to its being a base-cruck built around 1300. <7>