Monument Type(s):

• MANOR HOUSE (16th century - 1555 AD to 1593 AD) + Sci.Date

Summary

A manor house, dated 1593, which is protected by Grade II* Listing.

Related records

Associated Finds: None recorded

Associated Events

• ESA9729 - 2021 WB on groundworks at Habberley Hall, Habberley by Castlering Archaeology (Ref: 21/00873/FUL)

Description

Manor House. 1593 with later additions and alterations, principally of late C19 and early C20. Timber framed with plaster infill on rubblestone and brick plinth, machine tile roofs with ornamental cresting. Small hall with 2 projecting cross-wings. 2 storeys and attic; framing: close studded to ground floor with single middle rail ; and long straight tension braces, ornamental panelling above with diagonal struts forming herringbone pattern, single middle rail; gables jettied to first floor and attic, moulded bressumers to first floor and coving to attic with carved corner brackets, the jettying to left gable is carried round left and right returns; late C19 bargeboards; 1:1:1 windows, 3-light late C19 casement below eaves to centre and contemporary oriel windows to cross-wings, the moulded cills and carved brackets of which are probably part of the original late C16 fenestration, gabled dormer in roof slope to left of centre; entrance at right-hand end of hall, C20 door with carved corner posts and C20 inscription "This house was builded as you see AD 1593 by WL"; prominent painted brick external stack to centre of back wall with former external lateral stack to left of left-hand cross-wing, both with 3 attached shafts of star section. Interior: not inspected, but noted as having square oak panelling with fluted frieze to front room of left-hand cross-wing. Tall late C19 additions to left and early C20 flat-roofed extension to right are not of special architectural interest <2>

Originally a rectangular house, it was jettied on 4 sides with a central section open to accommodate a smoke-hood. It was later floored over and the fire removed to an out-built stack at the rear of the hall. Dendrodated 1555 (jettied all round, central smoke extractor). Two timber-framed wings were added in 1593 by William Leighton; the inscription reads 'This House builded as you see A.D. 1593 by W.L.' but this may be a later version of the original.<4>

Habberley Hall is thought to occupy a castle site. A large 19th century brick wing is a prominent feature, but piecemeal development is evident everywhere. The original hall here dated to 1555 is a box-framed structure which was jettied on all four sides. The central section was left open for the provision of a smoke-hood to carry the emissions through two stories. Later an outbuilt stack was provided at the rear of the hall and the area floored over. Two box-framed cross-wings were added by William Leighton in 1593, according to the replica of the inscription which reads 'This hous was builded as you see AD 1593 by W.L.' The same date and initials were recorded on a bed-head which had the inscription 'God bles us al' (VCH 1968, 240), see also Trans. Shrop. Archaeol. Soc. 1st ser. viii (1885), 196-7. (Miles and Haddon-Reece 1995, VA 26, list 64 Part III). <5>

In 1555 the hall was built as a timber-framed block, jettied on all sides and floored overall except for a small rectangular space in the centre, marked as a fireplace by the form of the chamfers on the main and subsidiary beams enclosing it. Floor plan showing central fireplace area.<6>

Sources

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.