More information : [ST 53661625] Preston Abbey [G.T.] (Remains of) [T.I.]
[ST. 53641627] Tithe Barn [G.T.]. (1)
Abbey Farm Preston Plucknett. "Probably a 15th c. monastic grange with 16th c. and later additions, belonging to the Abbey of Bermondsey.
Tithe Barn, stands at right angles to house. Very fine 15th.c stone barn, 10 bays .... Original timber roof". Both buildings Grade I. (2)
The house and tithe barn are as described by Authy.2, and are in a very good state of repair. The barn, apart from a small modern addition to the west end, is in its original condition. Ground photograh AO/61/33/7 shows the southern side. There are later additions to the house on the north end, at the south-east corner, and mid-way along the east side. Ground photograph AO/61/33/8 shows the west face of the house. All the original architecture appears to belong to the Perpendicular period or later. (3)
No change (4)
Abbey Farm House. Farmhouse, now offices and yard of building contractors. Probably built c1420 by John Stourton II, known as Jenkyn. Ham Stone squared and tooled with worked ashlar dressings, stone slated roofs. Built on a North/South axis, the principal elevation faces West with hall on right-hand side, this has two 2-light mullioned windows set between offset buttresses and a (restored) dais window on extreme right hand; Next to hall is 2-storey porch, with 2-centred entrance arch, roll moulded square frame, no hood, blank shield and foliage in spandrels: Inside vault with ridge and diagonal ribs; stone benches, iron hinges. To left hand of porch 2-storey portion with mullioned windows to both levels: some C15, others as late as C19 - some doorways and windows now blocked. At North end of this block a wide wall with wide coping carrying fine C15 octagonal chimney, each side having a panel with trefoil head (a second tier damaged by bomb in 1940). North again further 2-storey building (?fodder store) not as high as main block, with outside steps. Projecting westwards from main block a C19 single storey addition. Internally (not fully inspected) the screens passage shows work of several periods. The hall, 12.2 x 6.5 metres had the roof lowered in the 1840's when the South chimney and upper part of dais window were removed: hall restored C1920 (after a fire) when such new material was introduced and the chimney and dais window restored, and an intermediate floor added. The North block such altered, leaving glimpes of old details. The variety of modern buildings on the East side, which completely masks the former East elevation, not of interest. Originally Preston Great Farm, always lay-ownership, ("Abbey" is a C19 misnomer), this is a hall house of considerable importance (Wood, Margaret: 'The English Medieval House' 1965 Garner, T.E. Stratton, A 'Domestic Architecture of England during the Tudor Period' 1929, also notes for SAMHS by Sir R. de Z. Hall and E.H. Silcox).
South portion of boundary wall to Abbey Farm, 50 metres South of Farmhouse. Wall, C15. Short length (approx. 11 metres) of buttressed wall forming part of South boundary, now incorporated in the Caretaker's cottage (itself not of interest) local Stone, the joints heavily smeared in places, 4-buttresses with delicately moulded offsets at 2-levels; wall now shortened to accommodate roof of cottage to approximately 2 metres high. (Wall originally part of listed outbuilding destroyed by fire in 1971). (5) |