Building record 0201900000 - HALL FARMHOUSE, BEACHAMPTON

Dimensions - Width 24m, Length 32m.
Plan Form - L-shaped.
Grade II+. Large house, on site of Medieval manor. Late C15, altered early C16. Oolitic limestone, with plain clay tiled roofs between raised coped gables. Brick stacks. Plan: North-south range containing reception rooms, with a cross-wing extanding west at the north end, and a disused cross-wing containing the great chamber extending east at the southern end, in all forming a 'Z' plan. The great hall, probably late Medieval , south of south wing demolished in C18, its remains incorporated in a garden building. Two storeys throughout, with attics to south wing. Hollow chamfered stone mullion windows with label heads to ground floor, the windows transomed to the south wing and to the east gable of the north wing. Canted by with mullioned and transomed window to great chamber, two early C19 timber windows on west elevation of centre block. C19 door with timber canopy. C 20 glazed poch in re-entrant angle of north wing. Interior: the south wing containing the rebuilt early C17 chamber is raised on an undercroft, and accessed by an extravagantly carved stair, largely removed in 1922. The panelling of chamber, described in early C19, is now missing but some standard C17 oak panelling remains. The chamber has a moulded stone fireplace, and evidence of an external perron stair on the north side. Many boldly moulded doorcases and panelled early C17 lead studded doors, and an earlier room encapsulated in the rebuild with heavily moulded ceiling. The surviving house was probably built by the Piggot family, the great chamber rebuilt probably by Sir Thomas Piggot between 1603-11, possibly for the reception of Queen Ann of Denmark and her entourage in July 1603, when the gardens were also laid out. The house is remarkably unaltered in the C19 and C20 and, together with the summerhouse and the barn, the garden remains with the listed gate piers, form a largely unaltered manorial group (B8).
House, once part of a larger building. Late C16-early C17. Rubble stone. Former great chamber on 1st floor, W wing. 7 light bay window, armorial glass, in E gable wall. (Further description)(B2,B7).
NGR to Hall Farm (B4).
Paper assessing evidence for position of a former Great Hall to the south of the existing southern wing (B11).