TQ 65 SW WEST PECKHAM MEREWORTH ROAD (south side) 1/27 Duke's Place 1.8.52 - I Hall house. Early C15, built as Preceptory of the Knight's Hospitallers, according to Hasted founded in 1405 by John Culpepper. Close examination shows hall to have been burnt out C1500. Converted into 7 labourers cottages in C18; restored from semi-dereliction after last war. L-shaped 2 storeys. North wing. Hall house of Wealdan type joined to later south wing at south-east corner. Timber-framing with plaster-infilling on stone plinth. Plain tiled hipped roof. South front. First-floor projection on curved braces to left with casements on both floors. Hall in centre with 2 storey window to left and high-level 4-light window to right. Boarded door below in original cast with 4 centred arch leading into cross-passage of hall. West front. Jettied with bressummer resting on central supporting post and dragon-posts at ends. North front. Jettied projections at both ends of 1st floor with wind-braced gables above. Small oriels on 1st floor of both gable bays. 5-light lattice casement below jetty to left. Central eaved cornice with bressummer on posts, some jowled, and joists. 2 storey bay window to right, on brick plinth, recently introduced. Early C16 door to left, boarded in 4-centred arch with winged rosettes in the spandrels, leading to cross- passage. East side. Jettied, with moulded dragon-post to right, and 1-storey lean-to addition to left. South range. Probably C17. Hipped tiled roof with 2 ridge stacks. East front. Close studded framing with irregular fenestration of casements, mostly introduced when the house was constructed into 7 cottages. West front. Some jowled posts on 1st floor. Jettied on joists to left, with curved wind-braces above. Irregular fenestration on both floors. Door with low rounded arch to left of ground-floor. Later part of south wing to right set forward, with narrow framing. Interior. Hall reopened in restoration after last war. Fine tie-beam truss roof with moulded brown post. Moulded great post with shafts. Moulded beam around hall, stopped at dais and by curved faces. Arched braces in wall above buttery and pantry doors, with some carpenters marks. Paired buttery and pantry doors with 3-centred arched heads. Large C16 fireplace with breast in brick with carved bressummer. Early C15 timber work in Parlour, Buttery and Pantry, that in solar dating from time of addition of north-facing gables. Shall pointed arch surround fireplaces in Parlour and solar above. Of stair in solar. 1 each, C16 stone fireplace with 5-centred arched surround on ground-floor of south wing, and 1 with chamfered bressummer, probably later C16 1 mid C16 stone fireplace with shall 4-centred arch on 1st floor of this wing, as well as crown lost with unusual square moulding. See N M R Recorded Buildings File. (Also Tanner's Notitia Monastica 1744). Listing NGR: TQ6483552693