A Critical Review of Sources on the Development of English Vernacular Architecture, 1600-1800, as it relates to the Geographical Region concerned by R J Brierley BA A Master's Dissertation, submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the Master of Arts degree of the Loughborough University of Technology September 1991 Supervisor: Professor M A Reed, BA, MA, LLB, PhD, FSA, FRHistS Department of Library and Information Studies @ R J Brierley, 1991 CONTENTS Page No. Acknowledgements iii Abstract iv List of Plates v Chapter 1 Introduction 1 PART I REVIEW OF SECONDARY SOURCES Chapter 2 A Selection of Monographs & Periodicals 6 on Vernacular Architecture PART I I REVIEW OF PRIMARY SOURCES Chapter 3 Open Air Museums of Vernacular Architecture 35 Chapter 4 Buildings in a_ Landscape 77 PART I II Chapter 5 Conclusion 155 Bi bliography 159 ii Loughboi ol)::;h Ur;!ver!jlty ef To,=~:r.J.·~'~} t..lt.rnry "::~Jc;;::;...;:~"·1C:1!.!<; ._ ---- ~--~- ~~~. D"t\.ool:) \\ ~ ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to express my thanks to Professor <Michael Reed for his invaluable guidance and encouragement throughout this investigation; and to Miriam and James Moir, and John Hyde-Trutch of the Chiltern Open Air Museum who were particularly helpful during my visit to this museum. I wish to thank the Hughes family of Pettaugh, Suffolk who showed me their farmhouse, and also Ken Bowen and Graham Anderson of Eardisland, Herefordshire for their information on timber-framing. Finally, I am grateful to or Charles Baker for his interest and encouragement and to Allied Breweries Limited for the use of their printing and photocopying facilities. iii ABSTRACT This dissertation attempts to reveal, through the examination of both primary and secondary sources, that English vernacular architecture of the period, 1600-1800, provides considerable evidence as to why many consider England to be the most topographically varied country in the world. Architectural styles of this period not only reflect changing social conditions, but also the wide use of natural materials available. Examples of these include the many varieties of stone and brick, as well as the varied uses of timber, all of which represent the complex geology that underlies the English landscape. Part One of the dissertation is a review of secondary sources, that is books and periodicals relating to the subject. It examines the contents of these in terms of both quality and usefulness for those wishing to research the subject for themselves. In Part TWo, the primary sources are examined, that is examples of vernacular architecture. This begin~ with a series of reviews on seven open-air museums where buildings have been re-erected or renovated 'in situ' in order to rescue them from demolition. In many cases expert advice and craftsmanship have ensured that the buildings have been reconstructed as closely as possible to the manner in which they were originally built. This is followed by a review of three regions of England which reflect the diversity of building styles and materials together with the social, agricultural, commercial and industrial development of England during the period. These are: South and South-East England; The Central Pennines and adjacent areas; and East Anglia. iv LIST OF PLATES Plate 1. "Pendean n farmhouse, Weald and Downland Museum. Plate 2. "Market Place", Weald and Dow;lland Museum. Plate 3. Titchfield Market Hall, Weald and Downland Museum. plate 4. Horsham slates, Weald and Downland Museum. Plate 5. "The String of Horses", Avoncroft Museum. Plate 6. Detail on "The String of Horses", Avoncroft Museum. Plate 7. Merchant's House, Avoncroft Museum. Plate 8. "Forge Cottage", Avoncroft Museum. Plate 9. Stangend cruck house, Ryedale Museum. Plate 10. Harome cruck house, Ryedale Museum. Plate 11. Northolt barn, Chiltern Museum. Plate 12. "Hill Farm" barn, Chiltern Museum. Plate 13. Haversham granary, Chiltern Museum. Plate 14. High Wycombe Toll House, Chiltern Museum. Plate 15. Workers' cottages, Abbeydale Industrial Hamlet. Plate 16. Tilt forge and workshops, Abbeydale Industrial Hamlet. Plate 17. Eighteenth century cottages, Black Country Museum. Plate 18. Timber-framed cottage, Blists Hill. Plate 19. Half-cruck timber roof, Acton Scott Working Farm Museum. Plate 20. Diamond-shaped vent-holes on post and truss barn, Acton Scott Working Farm Museum. Plate 21. Linear vent-holes on barn, Acton Scott Working Farm Museum. Plate 22. 'Catslide' roofs at Goudhurst, Kent. Plate 23. "Dragon House" at Smarden, Kent. Plate 24. Weatherboard and tile-hanging at Smarden, Kent. Plate 25. Farmhouse with typical Wealden roof at Smarden, Kent. plate 26. Wealden farmhouse and ragstone wall at Smarden, Kent. v Plate 27. Farmhouse of rags tone at Chilmington Green, Kent. Plate 28. "Old Palace" at Brenchley, Kent. Plate 29. "Rampyndene" at Burwash, East Sussex. Plate 30. Flint cottages at Glynde, East Sussex. Plate 31. Flint buildings at Lewes, East Sussex. Plate 32. Grey and red brickwork at Lewes, East Sussex. Plate 33. Sla te-hanging at Lewes, East Sussex. Plate 34. Half-timbering and plaster fronts at Lewes, East Sussex. Plate 35. Regency stucco and bow windows at Lewes, East Sussex. Plate 36. Bow windows among the shop fronts at Lewes, East Sussex. Plate 37. Black-glazed tiles at Lewes, East Sussex. Plate 38. Wealden house near Burpham, West Sussex. Plate 39. Wealden house with thatched roof and 'large framing' at Amberley, West Sussex. Plate 40. Cottage of sandstone at Amberley, west Sussex. Plate 41. Chalk lump, brick and 'small framing' at Amberley, West Sussex. Plate 42. Flint and chalk lump at Amberley, West Sussex. Plate 43. Thatch, flint and sandstone at Amberley, west Sussex. Plate 44. Georgian red brick at Winchester, Hants. Plate 45. Tha tch at Wherwell, Han ts. plate 46. Thatch and 'small framing' at Wherwell, Hants. Plate 47. Linear patterning in flint and stone at Hanging Langford, Wilts. Plate 48. Cheguerboard patterning in flint and stone at Steeple Langford ,Wil ts. Plate 49. Cottages of stone, brick and chalk lump at Hanging Langford, Wilts. Plate 50. Oolite limestone at Wylye, Wilts. Plate 51. Thatch and oolite at Codford St. Peter, Wilts. Plate 52. Nineteenth century shop fronts at Shaftesbury, Dorset. vi Plate 53. Eighteenth and nineteenth century shop fronts at Shaftesbury, Dorset. Plate 54. Cottages on Gold Hill, Shaftesbury, Dorset. Plate 55. Thatched cottages of flint, brick and cob at Winterbourne Stick land, Dor set. Plate 56. The eighteenth century estate village of Milton Abbas, Dorset. Plate 57. Cottages at Milton Abbas, Dorset. Plate 58. Grey and red brickwork at Newbury, Berks. Plate 59. Eighteenth century brickwork above modern shops at Newbury, Berks. Plate 60. 'Small framing' at East Hagbourne, Berks. Plate 61. Tile-hanging, 'small framing' and thatch at East Hagbourne, Berks. Plate 62. 'Herringbone' style of brick-nogging at East Hagbourne, Berks. Plate 63. The eighteenth century estate village of Nuneham Courtenay, Oxon. Plate 64. Half-timbered cottages with dormer windows at Little Missenden, Bucks. Plate 65. Brick cottages with dormer windows at Little Missenden, Buc ks. Plate 66. Georgian elegance at Amersham, Bucks. Plate 67. House built of York stone near Huddersfield, W. R. Yorks. Plate 68. Grouped multi-light windows on workers' cottages at Heptonstall, W. R. yorks. Plate 69. Workers' cottages at Heptonstall, W. R. Yorks. Plate 70. Embellishment on a gable end at Heptonstall, W. R. Yorks. Plate 71. Venetian windows at Heptonstall, W. R. Yorks. Plate 72. Tenements at Luddenden, W. R. Yorks. Plate 73. "Kershaw House" at Luddenden, W. R. Yorks. Plate 74. Pennine hill farm in the 'long house' style near Haworth, W. R. Yorks. Plate 75. Georgian farmhouse at Starbotton, Wharfedale, W. R. Yor ks. vii Plate 76. Arched window on a farmhouse at Keld, Swaledale, N. R. Yorks. Plate 77. Typical barn of the Yorkshire Dales. Plate 78. Close-up of a Dales barn. Plate 79. Barn door on a farmhouse at Askrigg, Wensleydale, N. R. Yorks. Plate 80. Courtyard showing flight of steps to hayloft at Starbotton, Wharfedale, W. R. Yorks. Plate 81. Lime-washed building at Starbotton, Wharfedale, W. R. Yorks. Plate 82. Roofs at Richmond, Swaledale, N. R. Yorks. Plate 83. Houses at Richmond, Swaledale, N. R. Yorks. Plate 84. Pantiled roofs and stone walls at Thornton-le-Dale, N. R. Yorks. Plate 85. Hill farm on the North York Moors. Plate 86. Limestone cottages at Langton, E. R. Yorks. Plate 87. Thatched cottages at Warter, E. R. Yorks. Plate 88. Georgian elegance at Howden, E. R. Yorks. Plate 89. Dutch gables at King's Lynn, Norfolk. Plate 90. Crow-stepped, Flemish gables at King's Lynn, Norfolk. plate 9l. "Clifton House" at King's Lynn, Norfolk. Plate 92. The Customs House at King's Lynn, Norfolk. plate 93. Cottages of carstone, flint and brick at Flitcham, Norfolk. Plate 94. The eighteenth century estate village of New Houghton, Norfolk. Plate 95. Georgian houses at Hingham, Norfolk. Plate 96. "Beacons field House", "Admiral's House" and "Quorn House" at Hingham Norfolk. Plate 97. Dutch gables at Hingham, Norfolk. Plate 98. Pantiles and peg tiles at Debenham, Suffolk Plate 99. Houses at Debenham, Suffolk. Plate 100. Colour wash at Debenham, Suffolk . 'vi ii - Plate 101. Front view of a farmhouse at Pettaugh, Suffolk. Plate 102. Rear view of the same farmhouse at Pettaugh, Suffolk. Plate 103. Georgian red brick and green plaster-fronting at Bildeston, Suffolk. Plate 104. Colour washed plaster o~er timber-framing at Kersey, Suffolk . Plate 105. Colour washed plaster over timber-framing at Lavenham, su ffolk. Plate 106. Thatch and colour wash at Chelsworth, Suffolk. Plate 107. Thatch and colour wash at Chelsworth, Suffolk . Plate 108. Thatch and colour wash at Brent Eleigh, Suffolk . Plate 109. Merchant's houses at Lavenham, Suffolk. Plate 1l0. Brent Eleigh Hall , Suffolk. Plate 111. Incised pargeting at Stoke-by-Clare, Suffolk.