TQ 64 SE PADDOCK WOOD COLTS HILL 6/321 Latchets II House, formerly a farmhouse. Framed construction on brick and sandstone rubble footings, hung with peg-tiles; peg-tile roof; brick stacks. Circa mid C15 origins, remodelled in the circa late C17, rear addition of the 1970s. Plan: The house is sited below the road and end on to it, facing south. The plan originated as a 4-bay open hall house with a 2-bay hall in the centre, the right (east) end storeyed. The original arrangement at the left (west) end is unclear. The C17 remodelling, which may have been in several phases, involved flooring the hall and inserting an axial stack with back-to-back fireplaces heating the 2 left hand (west) rooms. There was probably a lobby entrance associated with this phase although the present front door is almost central and leads directly into the centre room. The wall framing shows evidence of considerable reconstruction and the medieval rafters have been re- used in the existing roof. In the 1970s a rear right wing was added on the same axis as the old house. Exterior: 2 storeys. Asymmetrical 4-window front, the roof half-hipped at ends; axial stack with a modern brick shaft. Front right corner stack, probably C19, with a large rectangular sandstone bread oven. Almost central gabled porch on posts with a C19 plank front door. 1-, 2- and 3-light C20 casements with square leaded panes. The left (west) return has a probably 1930s 2-leaf door with a horizontal porch hood, a C19 3-light small-pane casement and a 3-light first floor C20 casement with square leaded panes. The right (east) return has a similar ground floor casement. The 1970s addition is brick and tile-hung with a peg-tile roof and casement windows with square leaded panes. Interior: The C17 hall in the centre has a massive chamfered step-stopped crossbeam close to the axial stack and a massive axial beam; chamfered stopped joists. The partition between the hall and right hand (east) room has been moved, reducing the hall in size. The axial stack has no fireplace on the hall side, it has presumably been blocked. The right hand room has original medieval joists of massive scantling and includes a trimmer for a stair. The left hand room has 2 ceiling beams on the long axis, these are of a later character. The fireplace has been rebuilt. A stair rises from this room against the rear wall. The wall-framing includes re-used timbers and wall posts without jowls. The medieval hall truss survives, immediately right (east) of the inserted stack. It has one massive hollow-chamfered arched brace intact, the other has been removed. Roof: The roof appears to have been thoroughly rebuilt above the tie beams but re-using medieval smoke-blackened rafters which survive throughout the length of the roofspace, augmented with later rafter couples. The joints are nailed. The medieval tie beam has a rough socket for a crown post. A plain post, with diagonal braces down to the tie, survives over the left (west) end of the roof, about 1.5 metres high, it does not appear to be part of the medieval arrangement. An interesting traditional house of medieval origins. Listing NGR: TQ6784344787