Building record 0555701000 - Saunders Wharf, Hedsor Wharf

C.1570 THOS SAUNDERS TOOK OVER NEW WHARF & A HOUSE THEREON LATELY BUILDED CALLED SAUNDERS WHARF. BRICK FOUNDATIONS OF THIS C16 BLDG STILL STAND NEAR WHARF HOUSE (B1-3, B5).
In 1556, Sir Edmund Peckham sold Hedsor Manor to Ralph Hawtry with the exception of 'one wharf' which was sold to Richard Over. Ralph Hawtrey sold the manor to Rowland Hyde in 1573 and the deed cites a lease by Ralph Hawtrey to Thomas Saunders of a wharf called 'New Wharf' with 'a house thereon lately built'. The new wharf subsequently became known as Saunders Wharf. In 1579, Saunders Wharf also was sold to Richard Over. George Ives, Lord Boston, compiled the later history of the wharf and houses after suceeding to the ownership in 1856. According to Lord Boston, watercolours of 1812 show that 'the buildings adjacent to the Wharf House, now used as a stable and outhouses, was then a dwelling house, (perhaps originally connected with Saunders Wharf)'. The Tithe Map of 1839 shows a complex of buildings among which Saunders Wharf (no.87) can be identified. In advance of the proposed demolition of buildings at Hedsor Wharf to build a new house, a desk based assessment was carried out by Laurence Keen. In July 2000 Saunders Wharf was a seperate brick building used as a guesthouse and had been largely gutted (B7).
Photographic record of interior of building after stripping of plaster (B9).
Building originally a two-bay structure, subsequently extended on three sides. Analysis of principal roof timbers suggest building constructed in about 1561. Some reused timbers were also identified, with felling dates after about 1230 and between 1450-1475. See report for detail (B10,B11).