Upminster Hall, Hall Lane, Upminster

C15-16. Two storey, timber-framed, and covered with roughcast colourwashed. Consisting of a centre with cross-wings and a further wing attached to the north end of the house.

The cross-wings are gabled and jettied over the ground floor where there are traditional wood oriel windows on brick bases. Upper floors have wooden mullion and transom windows with leaded lights; that in the north cross-wing an old 4-light one, with a modern 5-light window in the south cross-wing, 2-light leaded casements in each of the gables, carved wooden bargeboards. To the north of the south projecting wing 2 storey porch, jettied on 2 sides and with shaped bracket to dragon-beam. Entrance on north side of porch. Front of porch with 4-centred arch over modern window. Moulding to overhang. Three-light mullion and transom window in upper floor of porch. Gable with old carved bargeboards and pendant.

Centre of the house has 3-light mullion and transom window to ground floor and 1 old 4-light window to 1st floor. Gable over with carved bargeboards. Old tile roofs. Main stack to north of centre with 4 diagonal shafts. Wing to north probably C17, with old 4-light wood mullion and transom window with leaded lights. The ground floor window modern, 2-light casement window in gable which is of shallower pitch than the rest of the roofs. Stack to south of roof of gable with 2 diagonal shafts.

South wing has stack with 4 diagonal shafts. Plain 2 storey south side with various wood mullion and transom windows, all modern. Rear elevation has modern single storey portion to south and across centre of main block. North section has 2 storey gabled jettied wing with 4-light wooden casements to each floor and steep gable with plain bargeboards. Remainder of rear part set back with various gables and windows of similar character to rest of house. First floor central rear window has a canted bay with ogee roof possibly C17, altered. Remains of wood bellcote on roof. North side has 3 sashes to each floor.

Interior: Porch opens into site of screens passage, both walls of which have been removed. The ground floor of the south wing is all 1 room. Hall has modest C18 plaster panelling cornice, stone fireplace surround and paving. Ceiling has exposed beams, including some with gouged chamfered mouldings. Staircase constructed round a well, off the north-east corner of the hall, early C18 with 3 delicately turned balusters of 3 types to each tread, cut strings, carved brackets and ramped handrail. Ceiling with simple cover cornice. North-east room of 1st floor with simple C18 Chinese fret dado. RCHM3