bull river farm house, chiddingly, east sussex - Archaeology South ...

Archaeology South-East
Bull River Farm House, Chiddingly, East Sussex
Archive Ref. ESRO HBR1/1678. Site Ref P60/09
Interpretative Historic Building Survey Rev 00 / Jan 08
REPORT NO. 1678
CHIDDINGLY - BULL RIVER FARM HOUSE
NGR TQ 5584 1484
LOCATION
Bull River Farm House, 1 mile to the ENE of Chiddingly Church, stands at a height of
just under 30 metres O.D. on the south-eastern side of Scrapers Hill Lane and is
aligned upon a NNE-SSW axis (hereafter assumed N-S) being built parallel to the road
with its principal elevation facing WNW (hereafter assumed W) towards the highway. In
the garden a little distance to the NE is a man-made pond and to the SW the remnant of
a timber-framed barn, the latter truncated at its northern end, detaching it from a once
attached farm outhouse. The ground slopes gently down from the house towards the
barn. A little beyond the barn is Bull Bridge which carries the lane across a steam
flowing down from the parish of Waldron to the north.
LISTED STATUS OF THE BUILDING
Bull River Farmhouse, Scrapers Hill, was listed grade II on 12th August 1981, its listed
building reference being TQ 51 SE 12/596. The description in the list entry is purely for
the purpose of recognition and is normally, therefore, primarily based on external
appearance. The date is given as C17 or earlier. [Source: English Heritage, Images of
England - website]. The description must not be treated as a comprehensive schedule
of those elements which are legally protected as, no matter what the grade, the
legislative cover not only relates to both the interior and exterior, but also extends to any
building within the curtilage which predates the 1st July 1948.
OVERVIEW OF THE HOUSE [Drawing Nos. 1678/1-2]
The earliest part of the house dates from 1590 +/- 25 years [Period A] and in its initial
form comprised a two-bay timber-framed structure with an in-built chimney at the
northern end, heating the hall. The area to the south of the hall housed a service room
and on the first floor were two chambers, both fitted with ceilings from the outset. At the
chimney end the roof was gabled, whereas the opposite end was hipped. At this date
there was a thatched covering. Beyond the hipped southern end stood a lean-to
outshut which is presumed to have either housed extra service accommodation or,
alternatively, an externally accessed outhouse. The outshut has since been totally
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