Mavesyn Ridware Old Hall

Description

A 14th century gatehouse at Old Hall with early 18th century alterations. It is timber framed, partly replaced in brick and stone, and has a plain tile roof. The principal range has four bays and is aligned east-west, with a single-bay annexe at each end, on the same alignment. It is two storeys high. (PastScape)

Timber framing of massive scantling largely refaced, and partly replaced in brick and stone; plain tile roof with raised verges. 4-bay principal range aligned east-west facing north, with a single-bay annexe at each end, on the same alignment. 2 storeys with stone ground storey and first floor offset. Central range with 4 C18 chamfer mullioned first floor windows, each of 2-light, flanked by a pair of slightly lower annexes. Small oval lights to the ground floor, and to the first floor of the annexes. Gateway to left of centre with ogee-moulded segmented arch and hood mould with ball stops. Rear elevation. 3 bays of exposed timber framing at first floor level with massive curved braces forming semi-circular patterns. The left hand bay at first floor level has been faced in brick and contains a 2-light chamfer mullioned window. Brick ground storey with 2-light window to left of centre and single-light window to right. Segmental arched gateway to right of centre with quarter round moulded arch. To the left hand side of the range are a boarded door and a 2-leaf garage door. Flanking annexes set back to each end. Projecting gabled stair wing attached to the rear of the western (left hand) annexe: early C18; stone with stone coped brick gable, find boarded door. The gatehouse range was entered from the gate passage. This retains massive first floor beams and joists and timber framed side walls. On each side is a blocked ogee-headed doorway. Interior. The doors within the gate-passage gave access to a 2-bay room towards the west and a single-bay room towards the east. Access to the first floor is now via a staircase in the C18 wing to the south-west. The tie-beam of the southern roof truss here is a re-used timber, probably the northern gate arch which was replaced in stone; it retains a quarter-round moulding. The first floor is open to the roof, and the main range was originally divided into a pair of 2-bay chambers by a central closed truss. In the end wall of each chamber is an ogee-headed door which leads into the associated annexe. Arch-braced tie beams with crown posts. The crown posts over the two open trusses have moulded caps and bases, and 4-way bracing extending to crown plate and rafters. On the soffit of each of the two tie beams immediately beneath the crown post is a carved boss. The three closed trusses have braces extending up to the crown-plate and downwards to the tie beam. They also have two vertical struts extending from tie beam to rafters. The insides of the open trusses are fillet moulded. Quarter round moulded wall plates with sophisticated scarf joints. The roofs over the annexes, while less preserved appear to have been of crown post construction also. According to Stebbing Shaw the gatehouse formed one side of a quadrangular building which was still in existence in the 1660's. It was built by the Mavesin (Malvoisin) family and in 1403 came to the Cawardens. (Listed Building Report)