Details
INGATESTONE AND FRYERNING
TQ69NE
723-1/7/361
29/12/52 HALL LANE, Ingatestone
(East Side)
Gatehouse and courtyard ranges 30 metres west of Ingatestone Hall (Formerly Listed as: BRENTWOOD
HALL LANE, Ingatestone
Gatehouse and Courtyard building to Ingatestone Hall)
II*
Gatehouse and courtyard range. C16, altered in C15, extended
in C19. Red brick in English bond and plastered timber-framing roofed with handmade red clay tiles. L-plan, of which the W range comprises a central entrance bay, 3-bay court hall to S, and 3-bay lodgings range to N. The court hall has one Cl9 external stack and a small single-storey lean-to to W. The lodgings range has a 2-storey lean-to to W enclosing one large stack, originally external, and one C19 stack. The N range comprises 4-5 bays with 3 internal rear stacks and one C16 rear stack, originally external, now enclosed by a 2-storey lean-to; and a 2-bay cross-wing at the E end with an internal rear stack, and single-storey lean-to rear. Both ranges face inwards towards the courtyard, and are of 2 storeys. The entrance bay has a full-width vehicle way through with C16 brickwork to each side, and a semi-elliptical arch, plastered; jetties to front and back each with 4 beams with mortices for missing brackets; one late C18 sash of 6+6 lights to front; and to the rear, below the jetty, a painted plaster crest of 2 lions, and above it an C15 3-light window with one wrought-iron casement, 2 fixed lights, and leaded diamond glazing; C18 pyramidal roof, square clock turret, and restored or rebuilt bell-turret; to front and back of the clock turret is a painted clock face with a single hand and the painted motto 'Sans Dieu Rien'. The front of the court hall range is of brick up to first-floor level, much patched and altered, with C18 zigzag patterned plaster on timber-framing above; 2 Tudor Revival doorways, and on the first floor one loading door and two C19 cast-iron casements of 12+12 small panes; C20 large sliding doors to rear. The front of the lodgings range to N of the gateway is of C16 brick to first-floor level, similar patterned plaster above; one original doorway with hollow-chamfered oak jambs and 4-centred arch, chamfered outer oak jambs and lintel, plain boarded door; and one former door aperture closed with C18 brick; on the ground floor two C19 casements, on the first floor two C18 casements similar to that over the archway, but with rectangular leaded glazing. The rear lean-to has a slate roof. The N range is wholly plastered, with a projecting band at first-floor level, but is probably of C16 brick to that level, timber-framed above; it has on the ground floor four C18 4-light casements with rectangular leaded glazing, and on the first floor 6 sashes of 8+8 lights, early C19 or replica; 2 half-glazed doors. The main rear stack is of C16 brick with stepped offsets almost to ridge level, rebuilt above. The 2-storey lean-to has a slate roof, the single-storey lean-to is roofed with red clay pantiles. The roof of the entrance bay has been rebuilt in the C18, re-using C16 timber; early C18 clock mechanism, maker not identified.
INTERIOR: the court hall has jowled posts, close studding with `Suffolk' braces trenched to the outside, and chamfered arched braces to straight tie-beams, without partitions on either storey; and a complete crownpost roof with axial bracing. The part of this range N of the entrance way has an original newel stair and adjacent framing, and a similar crownpost roof. N range not examined internally, but the height suggests that the roof has been raised.
HISTORICAL NOTE: this building is depicted in elevation in a detailed map of 1605 by the John Walkers, father and son, where most of the present features are identifiable. Then there was a third range to S of the courtyard, the entrance bay had a gabled roof, and there was a gabled cross-wing at each end of each range, 2 of which are now absorbed in the present corner structure. The main stack of the N range is exactly as shown then, as are the 2 doorways. The carpentry of the W range indicates construction in the middle of the C16, or earlier. As Sir William Petre leased the site from Barking Abbey in 1538, and brought it from the Court of Augmentations in 1539, this range may date either from that period, or it may be a court hall erected by Barking Abbey. The use of late medieval crownpost construction here, but typically post-medieval forms in the roof of Ingatestone Hall (qv) itself, suggests the latter possibility, in which case it is the earliest building on the site. (Essex County Council: Introduction to Ingatestone Hall: 1977-: 3-5, 15).
Listing NGR: TQ6534098550
