Essex House, Great Easton (EHER 37578)

Mid 16th century timber-framed house.

House of the mid 16th century. It is timber=framed and plastered, of two storeys, with a gabled peg tile roof and a gabled two storey extension on the rear. It is a 'long-wall-jetty' house with externally exposed timber-frame, with solar and one large chamber on first floor over service rooms, cross-passage, fire bay, hall and parlour. The front has 20th century metal casements with leaded lights, on the ground floor is one canted bay to the hall and a 'V' shaped bay to the parlour, both with coved soffits. There is a later stack in fire bay, rectangular above roof line and just forward of the ridge. The rear has hipped open porch on north-east end and one gabled roof dormer. Timber-frame and bracing is remarkably complete, although restored. Interior reveals inglenook fireplace, chamfered and arch braced structure, and remnants of crown post roof. It has halved and bladed scarf joints (RCHM 12). <1> See: <2>