Boblow House (EHER 1608)

16th century building, possibly a hunting lodge, altered in the 19th century. It is timber-framed with large red brick chimney stacks forming gables, roofed with handmade red clay tiles. The building is sited on top of a rounded hill and is considered too small to have been constructed as a house, and is more likely to have been used as a hunting lodge. The site is moated.

House is two-storey and atticed. It was built in the 2nd half of the 16th century. At the north end are 'modern' additions. At the east end is an original chimneystack, containing a window (original) to light the attics. On the ground floor are an original fluted frieze or wall plate of wood, flat ceiling joists, fireplace with original carved overmantel. In the south room, wall posts and wall plates, now paper-covered and an original fireplace flanked by columns to support a carved frieze and pediment. On the 1st floor are two original square-headed, stone fireplaces. <1> 16th century timber-framed building with 17th century chimneys and 19th century alterations to the rear and to the north end. <2> <3> OS photo card in the record. <4> 16th century building. <5> <6> "Building of uncertain purpose, probably a hunting lodge". 2 windows on each floor, being altered in 1983, time of survey. South chimneystack incorporates timber-framed garderobe. Clasped purlin roof. A concentration of ornamental features at the north end suggests this was the original approach, the present one is from the south. Too small to be a house of the level of fashion indicated by its features, no indication of other demolished bits. Hunting lodge is the most probable purpose. Site Assessment = "The most probable explanation is that it was built as a hunting lodge, to oversee a deer park and to provide short-term accommodation for a hunting party". <7> 1996. Site visit. The Essex Architectural Research Society on their visit 18/8/96 thought it was most probably an extension to an existing manor house to the west and was built when the manor was sold following the reformation having been owned by the order of St John. Unlikely to have been a hunting lodge considering the proximity of other major houses. The visit of about ten members, from different disciplines, was organised by John Walker in 1996. <8> See photograph: <9> NRHE data transfer: 1977. Field survey. Boblow (name confirmed) is a 16th century timber frame building with 17th century chimneys and 19th century alterations to the rear and north end. See photograph. <10> See also: <11> <12>