EASTBURY MANOR, BARKING
REPORT ON THE RECORDED STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS
AND
EXCAVATIONS WITHIN THE HOUSE AND GROUNDS
1 Summary
Eastbury Manor in Barking was established in the 1560s. The need for repairs and modernisation gave the opportunity to record structural elements that had either been hidden within the fabric of the building, or were being removed or replaced. A Watching Brief was decided upon as the best method of monitoring the work.
Alterations and repairs to the fabric of Eastbury Manor were largely conducted in the west wing and included replacing windows and window-frames, the addition of electric circuitry, adding fire barriers in underfloor cavities, various blocking and unblocking of doorways and the removal of some internal partition walls that had been added since the manor's original construction. Another major change was the insertion of a lift in the middle of the west wing to serve all three floors, necessitating the removal of some of the 16th century common joists.
The excavation identified phases of alterations on the ground floor and the recording during the watching brief identified the regularity of the materials used in the construction of the building and suggested functions for the rooms that was consistent with previous interpretations (Eastbury Manor House, Barking. Outline Conservation Plan for the House. Richard Griffiths Architects, 2000).
Fragments of floor surfaces uncovered in the Porch, the Pantry and the Store on the Ground Floor are interpreted as remnants of early floors, though probably not original. These were located up to 0.30m below the current floor levels, and it appears that much of the ground floor of the West Wing was raised by a foot in the mid 19th century. This was not the case in the Old Kitchen, where the under floor joists were in poor condition and were probably earlier than the mid 19th century in date, although not necessarily original. The main structural alterations to the ground floor dated to the 19th century, and involved the partitioning of the Old Kitchen (effectively making the serving hatch redundant) and the removal of part of the access wall to the Western Tower, which was necessary once the northern doorway to the Old Kitchen had been blocked. The conclusion reached in the Eastbury Manor House, Barking, Outline Conservation Plan for the House (ibid) of the function of the ground floor of the West Wing as a service wing would appear to be justified.
The First Floor of the West Wing exhibited original fabric in the form of floorboards, joists and partitions, but there had also been episodes of blocking of doorways in the 19th century. The Conservation Plan for Eastbury Manor (2000) interpreted the First Floor as having originally consisted of private apartments. It appears that there were two suites of rooms; one based around the Northwest Chamber and two ante-rooms, and another based in the Southwest Chamber, with possible storage rooms, a garderobe and a probable window seat facing south.
The Attic of the West Wing appears to have been altered little since its inception in the 16th century. No early partitions were apparent and the Attic range is built very regularly, with equal spaces between paired principal rafters. The majority of the timbers appeared to have been cut especially for this construction rather than being re-used. The windows provide the Attic with a lot of light, and the queen posts that support the paired rafters are arranged so as not to block the window spaces. It appears that the Attic functioned as a single space rather than being partitioned into small rooms. Examination of the roof timbers indicates that the main frame of the West Wing roof was built prior to the gabled projections that contained the windows. The timbers of the central range also overlie the main frame, indicating a sequence of work.
2 Introduction
2.1 Site Location (Figure 1)
Eastbury Manor is located in the east of the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, and centred on National Grid Reference (NGR) TQ 4572 8380. It is surrounded by Eastbury Square, and lies to the south of Ripple Road.
2.2 Historical and Archaeological Background. (Figures 2 and 3)
Eastbury Manor is recognised as a fine example of a Tudor gentry house, based around an H plan and is Grade I listed. The Hall is in the central range; there is a service wing on the west side and a family wing on the east, and these project southwards. A low wall on the south side forms a courtyard, and one of two octagonal stair towers still survives. It is a two-storey house, with a third storey in the attic roof space.
The grounds, once extensive, are now reduced to Eastbury Square and the surrounding estate lands were built on in the 1930s.
The house dates from c. 1566, and was built for the rich merchant Clement Sisley, who died in 1578 soon after its completion. It passed through the hands of many owners, but by the mid 18th century was approaching dereliction, as the owners were not in residence, but had leased the house to farmers. Throughout the19th century, interest in the house as a historic property rose, and it was illustrated several times; by Sparrow (1783) (Figure 2), in The History of Essex (1814), and by Bartlet (1833). The house became more run-down; the stone fireplaces were sold off, and the building converted into stables, a granary store and a coach house. The National Trust was able to buy Eastbury in 1918, and it was thus secured from demolition. The first essential repairs were undertaken in 1920.
The grounds once contained a walled garden at the front (north) of the house, as illustrated on a 1737 estate map (Figure 3). A robber trench was located during excavations over its supposed location in 2000.
The house is currently used by Barking Council and the development plans are intended to promote greater accessibility and use of the property. This required the rearrangement of some internal spaces involving the removal of some partition walls, fixtures and fittings, plaster surfaces and floor joists. Some floorboards were also temporarily lifted.
There have been ten small trenches excavated within the house and the grounds, by Newham Museum Service in the 1990s, Essex County Council Field Archaeology Unit in 2000, and by Gary Marshall, Regional Archaeologist for the Thames and Chilterns Region of the National Trust in 2001.
2.3 Planning Background
Proposals for the development of Eastbury Manor are supported by separate Conservation Plans for the house, produced by Richard Griffiths Architects (Outline Conservation Plan for the House, 2000), and for the gardens, produced by Environmental Design Associates. Eastbury Manor is owned by the National Trust, who produced a brief for archaeological excavations and recording work that was undertaken during the alterations to the house.
3 Aims of the Investigation
3.1 The requirements for archaeological work fell into two categories: excavation and watching brief. Four trenches were subject to archaeological excavations on the ground floor of the property defined by the brief and accompanying plans. Three service trenches were monitored for archaeological remains in the gardens (Figures 4, 8 and 9), and a watching brief was conducted while floorboards were lifted and elements of the 16th century house exposed on all floors (Figures 5-7 and 10-44).
3.2 The aim of the investigation was to make a record of fixtures and fittings before alteration and to record where necessary any historic building fabric or archaeological finds and deposits that were subsequently revealed during the work.
3.3 To make available to interested parties the results of the investigation subject to any confidentiality restrictions.
4 Methodology
4.1 Trenches and Numbering
Previous archaeological investigations in the house and the gardens in the last ten years have involved excavation of small trenches and a watching brief. In 1994, Newham Museum Service examined three areas within the house, numbered Areas 1-3, and a report produced (1994). In the gardens, a geophysics survey was undertaken in 1995 by Newham Museum Service, followed by excavation. Trenches 1-3 were excavated in the eastern section of the north gardens, Trenches 4-6 in the walled garden, and a report was produced (Newham Museum Service 1996). Another trench was excavated by Essex County Council in 2000 as part of a pilot programme for the BBC. In 2001, Gary Marshall of the National Trust undertook a watching brief and the excavation of three further trenches (Trenches 8-10). The recent works by AOC Archaeology Group continued this sequence: Trenches 11, 12, 13 and 16 were within the house and Trenches 14, 15 and 17 in the grounds. Numbers were not assigned for structural elements recorded during the watching brief, rather written descriptions and annotated drawings with letter codes were produced. Each room is described using the nomenclature supplied on the survey by Richard Griffiths Architects (2001) (Figures 48, 51 and 54).
The excavations within the Manor comprised four areas: Trench 11 (entrance porch 2.3m x 2.3m), Trench 12 (ladies' WC 2.1m x 1.5m), Trench 13 (storeroom 4.8m x 1.7m) and Trench 16 (Old Kitchen 1.60m x 0.60m). Each of the trenches was excavated to a depth of 500mm below existing ground level. The concrete in the areas of Trenches 11, 12 and 13 was broken out by jackhammer and removed and the areas below hand excavated. All features (such as earlier floor surfaces) were recorded and planned and then excavated to the level required for the addition of new services and floors. Sections were drawn for each trench to record the exposed stratigraphy. A photographic record of all significant deposits and features was maintained. All excavation and recording was carried out in accordance with English Heritage AGP 3: Standards and Practices in Archaeological Fieldwork.
4.2 Watching Brief for Architectural Recoding
* The watching brief was maintained during all alteration work as necessary. AOC representatives were contacted by Wendy Dellit of Richard Griffiths Architects when new areas were available for examination.
* Where floorboards were lifted, a 1:50 scale plan was produced to record the location and dimension of all joists, beams and trimmers etc forming the floor construction. The location, dimension and method of fixing of any earlier floorboards was also recorded. A 1:50 scale plan was also produced to record the joists in the north cellar ceiling.
* Detailed drawings were produced of any significant elements of carpentry construction (such as the joints between floor beams and joists, wall frames and roof timbers) that were revealed. Similarly, drawings of sufficient size to record detail of carpenter's or assembly marks were produced where necessary and were located on the 1:50 scale plans. Elevation drawings were produced to record any areas of brick, masonry or timber construction revealed during works and included details of repair, phasing, alteration etc.
* Finds revealed in voids below floors or in walls were to be recovered, recorded and retained. None were revealed during the work.
* Timber off-cuts that may be suitable for dendrochronological dating were retained and recorded. Any architectural fragments that will be discarded as a result of the alterations were similarly recorded and retained. Floor joists from the first and attic floors where the lift will pass through were recorded in situ, numbered and removed.
* A photographic record was maintained of all elements otherwise recorded by drawings.
* A brief photographic record of all fixtures and fittings to be removed was produced as detailed in the brief.
* A unique site code was obtained by the Museum of London for the work (EBH 02).
5 Results: Excavated Trenches (Figures 4-9, 12 and 13a)
5.1 Trench 11: The Porch (Figures 5, 12 and 13a)
The lowest recorded deposit was firm dark brown sandy silt with occasional small gravel inclusions (118) that resembled subsoil typical of sites with terrace gravel. This post-dated the walls of the porch (117), and is considered to be redeposited local sandy silt, used to raise the ground level for a subsequent floor. This was sealed by a compact layer of brown sand and gravel with occasional pieces of ceramic building material (CBM) mixed in (115), also made ground. Over this was a firm layer of mortar and crushed building material (114). This was recorded across most of the trench and may have been the remains of a worn, earlier floor surface, but at a maximum thickness of 20mm, and lying well below the current floor level, this is more likely to be a dump of building material. Overlying this was loose mid yellowish brown sand with moderate gravel and CBM inclusions (113) that appeared to be made ground in preparation for a spread of creamy mortar (110).
Cutting this was a circular pit (112) filled with compact dark brown sand (111) with frequent small rounded stone inclusions. The purpose of this pit was not clear, and despite full excavation, no dating evidence was collected (Figure 5). Sealing this were a number of individually recorded make up deposits, which were laid before the main, later floor surface.
The main floor surface in the trench consisted of four east-west rows of brick, slate and tile, which had been laid to support a stone slab floor above. The slab floor consisted of rectangular York stone slabs of varying size and was likely to have been 20th century in date. Part of this floor had been repaired with concrete (101), and then the same concrete had been skimmed across the surface of the whole porch.
5.2 Trench 12: The Old Pantry (Figures 6, 7, 12 and 13a)
The earliest recorded deposit in this trench was a compact, dark red mix of stone and building rubble (206). This was the lowest part of the footings of the porch wall seen along the east side of the trench. This deposit extended below the formation level, so the full depth, and exact date of this were not established.
The lowest recorded deposit across the remainder of the trench was compact dark yellowish brown made ground (205) consisting of sand, mortar and fragments of brick and tile. The deposit extended below the formation level for the 2002 modifications. Overlying this was what appeared to be the remains of an earlier floor surface (204). This consisted of a number of worn bricks laid in a random fashion, and three pieces of stone, two of which were flagstones and probably reused (Figure 7). The third was a more interesting piece of worked stone, which may have come from a window (Plate 1). These three pieces of stone were clearly re-used. The floor did not cover the full extent of Trench 12, and had probably been partially removed, especially to the east. Overlying this was further made ground (203), consisting of loose mid brown sand and building rubble. This was the make up for a brick floor (202). This brick floor itself consisted of un-mortared, frogged bricks laid onto a thin bed of loose mid brown sand. A number of the bricks were clearly more modern and had been used to repair parts of the floor surface.
A concrete floor (201) had been laid directly onto the bricks and was covered with pink linoleum.
The southern wall of this room (207) contained an oak serving hatch, which is discussed below (8.4.2, Figures 15 and 16), and a blocked doorway (208). The sill, jambs and lintel of the original doorway were not present, and the doorway was probably blocked when the floor level was raised. The doorway could not have functioned once the floor was raised, since the base of the sill was 0.32m below the 2002 floor level.
5.3 Trench 13: The Store (Figures 6, 7, 12 and 13a)
The lowest recorded deposit in Trench 13 was loose light brown silty sand (309) with very frequent inclusions of building debris (brick and tile fragments and mortar). This deposit extended beyond the formation level (although how far was not established) and appeared to be below deposit 310 at the east end of the trench. This deposit was made ground, presumably for the earlier surfaces recorded above it.
Two deposits were overlying 309. At the eastern end of the trench was a compact brick red deposit (310) which was probably the remains of an earlier floor surface. Although the surface was made of brick, there were no discernable brick outlines, suggesting that either the surface was made up of crushed and compacted brick, or that it was very heavily worn. As this surface was just above the formation level, it was left in situ. At the west end of the trench the remnants of an earlier brick floor (308) were recorded. This consisted of just a few remaining bricks of three different sizes, all of which were broken. They appeared to be bedded in lime mortar. This surface was either very poorly made, or had been badly worn or damaged.
Sealing these surfaces was a series of layers of made ground, which effectively raised the floor by 0.23m. The lowest was loose light brown sand (306) that contained brick rubble, mortar and gravel. Three separate deposits overlay this (304, 305 and 307), which provided a level base for the brick floor above (302). 307 was compact off-white lime mortar which was probably the original bedding for the brick floor, whilst 304 was cement, which was probably part of general repair and relaying of the brick floor in the 20th century. The brick floor itself (302) consisted of un-mortared, frogged bricks laid onto a thin bed of loose mid brown sand (303). The northern half of the floor was blackened with coal dust, and this room had presumably been used for coal storage in the past. Two early 20th century coins and one clay pipe heel were found between the bricks.
Directly overlying the brick floor was a concrete surface, 0.10m thick (301).
5.4 Trench 14: Garden, south (Figure 4)
A trench was hand-excavated under archaeological supervision for the installation of a new gas supply to Eastbury Manor. This ran east-west close to the garden wall at the southwest corner of the house. The trench was a maximum of 0.90m deep and proved to have been situated directly above a previous service: almost the entire trench was recognised as backfill (14/002). The exception to this was a layer of undisturbed dark greyish brown sandy silt over 0.90m deep (14/001). This had been cut into by the original service and was only seen at the eastern end of the trench. It contained small brick fragments and oyster shell, none of which was suitable as dating evidence, but the depth of the deposit indicated the likely depth of garden soil across the southwestern part of the garden. The section is not illustrated, as it contains a single deposit and is uninformative.
5.5 Trench 15: Garden, north (Figure 4 and 8)
Trench 15 was excavated in advance of a new water supply and ran on the south side of the east-west path that crosses the front of the Manor. The maximum depth of the trench was 0.90m and the lowest deposit encountered was naturally deposited pale yellowish brown sand with high gravel content (15/004). Above the natural and only surviving in patches, was a layer of firm, friable sandy silt, up to 0.20m deep (15/005). This was at first thought to be a remnant of subsoil, but the presence of finds within proved that this was not the case. The most frequent find was sheep/goat bones, all of which showed signs of butchery; limb bones had been cut in half. A small amount of early medieval pottery and ceramic building material was also collected from this deposit.
Sealing the sandy silt was a 0.8m deep deposit of dark brown sandy silt, which was interpreted as garden soil that was possibly imported to create a level garden around the house in the 16th century. The perimeter wall to the west of the house proved to be in a cut (15/008) through the main garden soil, and backfilled with garden soil (15/007) that had some building material mixed with it.
The eastern end of the trench showed more recent cut features that contained electric services and drainpipes serving the Manor. The backfill over them was slightly paler than the garden soil, but of the same material (15/003). The finds from this disturbed area were multi-period; a fragment of clay pipe was the earliest find, suggesting disturbance since the 17th century.
5.6 Trench 16: The Old Kitchen (Figures 12, 13a and 13b)
A small trench was excavated in the Old Kitchen, for the footings of a shallow ramp. This involved hand excavation beneath extant joists. The lowest deposit (16/003) was a 0.45m thick layer of light brown silty sand that contained occasional brick fragments and oyster shell. It resembled the geological deposits of the site, but the inclusion of artefactual material indicates that it had undergone redeposition. Above this was a centimetre-thick layer of crushed brick (16/002), little more than powder. The derivation of this brick powder is unknown, but may be evidence of a building or demolition episode within the Manor. The uppermost layer beneath the floor joists was loose pale brown silt (16/001) 0.14m deep. This was clearly a modern deposit, since pieces of plastic and wire off-cuts were noted within it.
The condition of the joists in the Old Kitchen is described in the section of this report detailing observations within the building, but may be summarised as in poor condition, and not tied into the walls of the building, rather resting on brick pads 0.50m square, which are set on top of made ground (16/003).
5.7 Trench 17: Garden Service Trench. (Figures 4 and 9)
The remains of a brick wall (17/003) that ran north-south were located within this trench, 0.35m below the surface of the gravel path that runs along the front of Eastbury Manor. The bricks of its composition were similar in colour to those of the main building, but no whole bricks were utilised, only the width (106mm) and depth (56mm) were recordable. Thus the foundation may be contemporary with the original build of the Manor, but this could not be proved. The foundation was randomly coursed and bonded with pale yellow lime mortar. That this structure had once stood higher was evidenced by the upper surface being covered in patchy mortar. It was only seen for a height of 0.11m, as necessary for the relaying of services. At 0.53m wide, this is quite a substantial wall, but had suffered truncation at its southern end (17/002), so any relationship with the house had been removed. The depth of surviving foundation was not determined as the excavation terminated at the base of the new service trench, where pale brown sandy silt (17/005) was seen, contiguous with the foundation. The truncation was caused by service runs: an extant drainpipe (17/004) ran along the southern limit of the foundation, and the backfill over it (17/001) contained no finds.
It is thought that this foundation was part of a garden wall on the north side of the house, as shown on a map of the Eastbury Estate from 1737, 'Seven parcels of land owned by Mrs Weldale.' There is no evidence in the fabric of Eastbury Manor that the garden wall had been tied into the house, yet the surviving foundation lines up closely with its northwest corner.
6 Finds
A wide variety of finds were collected during the course of the excavations, including pottery, bottle glass, tile, brick, animal bone and metal. A number of more interesting finds included two early 20th century coins collected from the surface of the brick floor in Trench 13, an unusual marine shell from a make up deposit in Trench 12, and a scatter of medieval pottery from Trench 16.
Most of the rest of the finds were post-medieval in date, probably 18-20th century, with the exception of two fragments of possible medieval floor tiles collected from make-up deposit 316 in Trench 13.
In addition to the bulk finds collected, brick samples were also collected from all the recorded floors. The interesting piece of worked stone from Trench 12 was recorded and has been retained at Eastbury Manor (Plate 1).
7 Discussion
7.1 Internal Trenches
Three of the four internal trenches revealed earlier floor surfaces and associated make up deposits.
Trench 11 confirmed the observations made during the excavation of Trench 8 in 2001, which had been a small excavation in the southwest corner of the porch. The oldest features recorded in both excavations were the walls of the porch. After their construction, a layer of sandy silt was dumped, and a layer of mortar (114) spread over it. This mortar was quite compact, and at 0.35m below the 2001 concrete floor surface was a candidate for either an earlier floor level or a sub-floor. The plaster on the west wall of the porch continued for a similar depth below the modern floor level. This cannot be coincidental, and it seems likely that the compact mortar was perhaps bedding for floor tiles, their surface at approximately 0.30m below current floor level. The hall immediately south of the porch was not available for recording at any time during these works, but it seems unlikely that there would have been steps rising within the porch, and it is more likely that the floor of the hall beyond had been raised by 0.30m as well.
The raising of the porch floor 0.30m above the previous level was achieved by the simple method of slabs laid over brick sleeper walls, not seen elsewhere in Eastbury Manor during the recording work.
Trenches 12 and 13, either side of a blocked doorway (208) confirmed the observations made in Trenches 9 and 10 in 2001: two brick surfaces (202 and 302) were identified and the stratigraphic sequences were virtually the same. The earlier brick floors (204 and 308) recorded may be of similar date to the earlier floor observed in the porch (114), since both seem to have been raised at the same time, and are on a similar level. The later brick floor, which lay directly under a skim of concrete and a layer of linoleum, contained two early 20th century coins in between the bricks, which indicates its modernity. It is likely that this new floor was of a similar date to the new floor in the porch. It was raised by 0.35m above the earlier brick floor by the deposition of a make-up layer.
A foundation identified near the Western Tower lay 0.26m below the current floor level and seems to have been part of the exit passage from the Tower (see 8.4.6). It was recorded in the 1834 Restored Plan (Eastbury Illustrated), but had been removed by 1871 (RIBA) (Figures 45 and 46). These sources suggest that major alterations at Eastbury Manor were undertaken throughout the 19th century. A partition wall created the Store as a separate room within the Old Kitchen and a doorway between the Female WC and the Store was blocked. In addition, a set of stairs leading from the Hall to the Old Buttery disappeared from the plans. These alterations are shown on the 1871 RIBA plan, indicating the alterations were carried out by 1871. The floors of the Porch, the Kitchen Passage, the Store and the Female WC were all raised by 0.35m to the level of the Old Buttery that necessarily had a higher floor because of the cellar beneath. The floor in the Old Kitchen had not been raised, and was found to be in poor condition (described in section 8.4.3 below). Trench 16 encountered made ground to a depth of greater than 0.60m below the Kitchen floor and there was no evidence of an earlier surface.
Comparison with the brick floors laid in the Old Dining Room, at the north of the East Wing shows that 19th century repairs and modifications to the floor surfaces occurred widely across the Manor. Whether the changes date to the 19th century or to a programme of repairs from 1934-5 was not apparent from the archaeological record, but the coins found in association with the floor (Trench 13) are early 20th century, and may indicate an earlier date.
Due to the excavation limit set by the depth required for the repairs and alterations, no deposits earlier than the late post-medieval period were recorded, but there is still potential for their existence on site.
7.2 External Trenches
The external trenches showed that services around the Manor have been modified and altered over time, disturbing much of the potential archaeological material. Away from the house, in the gardens, up to a metre of garden deposits were recorded, although this may be shallower to the north.
The wall foundation encountered at the northwest corner of Eastbury Manor and running north is most likely the garden wall illustrated in 1737 (Figure 3) but no finds or dating evidence were secured to suggest a date for its construction. A small trench excavated by Essex County Council Field Archaeology Unit in 2000 located a probable robbed foundation in a location suggested by the 1737 plan. This suggests a degree of accuracy to the plan.
Beneath the metre-thick garden deposits to the west of the house, yellow sandy silt subsoil was located. On the surface of the subsoil was a scatter of butchered sheep/goat bone and medieval pottery. This indicates that earlier archaeological material has survived beneath later garden deposits, but the full extent of medieval or earlier remains is unknown.
8 Watching Brief and Observations Within The Building
8.1 Introduction
The fabric of Eastbury Manor was in variable condition. The brickwork was largely sound except for the garderobe of the West Wing. The timbers of the floors and attic space showed signs of past repairs, and many of the windows were replaced following repairs to mullions and transoms. In addition, improved disabled access was necessary, as was the provision of new services to the building. Rearrangement of some of the internal spaces on all three floors resulted in the removal of existing partitions and insertion of new ones. Some fittings, plaster surfaces and floor joists were also subject to alteration. The temporary lifting of floorboards for new cabling enabled partial examination of under-floor construction methods and examination of timbers for evidence of re-use or carpenter's marks.
8.2 Methodology
The watching brief and recording took place between May and November 2002, running concurrently with the building and restoration work. Attendance was dependent on the building contractor's timetable, so the work was necessarily carried out in stages, when advised to attend by Richard Griffiths Architects.
Scale plans of all available structural timbers were made, with attention paid to the presence or absence of carpenter's marks, evidence of re-use. Other elevations of brickwork and internal fixtures were made, and much of the later fittings were recorded photographically.
8.3 The Cellars (Figures 10, 11a and 11b)
8.3.1 Southern Cellar (Figures 10 and 11b)
Recording of the southern cellar identified that the access steps leading down from the southwest corner of the Old Kitchen were composed of concrete over brick rubble that was cemented together. The 1834 plans of the house (Figure 45) indicate this area as 'Well hole to cellar', but by 1871, RIBA indicate a flight of stairs (Figure 46), so it is thought most likely that the extant stairs are likely to date to the mid 19th century, with some 20th century consolidation in the form of concrete. There was no sign of an alternative staircase or entry point to the southern cellar.
8.3.2 Northern Cellar (Figures 10, 11a, 12 and 13a)
The plasterboard ceiling of the northern cellar was removed, exposing some original joists (0.30m by 0.06m) that ran east-west, secured to a centrally placed north-south principal joist (0.34m by 0.30m). The timbers were tied into the masonry walls of the cellar, but there was no opportunity to determine the dimensions of the slots. Many of the other common joists were replacements or repairs, and had smaller profiles.
The joists are illustrated on the ground floor plan (Figures 12 and 13a); they also carry the floor of the Old Buttery. Most of the original joists are to the south and west of the room; new structural members were concentrated to the north and east. On the eastern side, seven original common joists survive, three of which are joined to a trimmer over the doorway from the cellar's access passage, two of which are at the north end. One of these has a thin strip of wood attached to it, probably reinforcing it. The central part of the east side features replacement joists, as proved by empty slots in the brickwork and empty mortises in the principle joist. Two of these meet a trimmer that underlies the fireplace of the Old Buttery in the room above (Figures 12 and 13a). The western side of the room has nine original joists including one that had been repaired. The two southernmost joists are not original and the two at the northern end terminate at a trimmer and all of these are replacements. Another original beam at the north end had been cut and this also terminates in a trimmer.
The new, replacement joists timbers were typically 0.10m by 0.20m in profile, and were clearly more recent than the large common joists of the original build. Further structural stability had been added to the underside of the common joists in the northwest of the cellar, although they may also have helped to support a lath and plaster ceiling. These strengthening beams had a 0.10m square profile and were pegged to the underside of the joists. There was no evidence of the date of these repairs, but the sources indicate alterations in the mid 19th and early 20th century; either date is likely, or perhaps both, if there were two phases of repair work. At the time of recording, the joists were propped with vertical struts.
8.4 The Ground Floor (Figures 12-17)
Extensive repairs and modifications were made to the ground floor of Eastbury Manor during the current work. This exposed earlier alterations, and parts of the original build were identified. Each room is described separately.
8.4.1 Panelled Room (Figures 12 and13b)
This room, at the southern end of the west wing was recorded by photograph: a fireplace in the east wall was bricked up and wooden panelling was re-instated.
8.4.2 The Store (Figures 12 and 13a)
The Store was a room created by the partitioning of the northern end of the Old Kitchen in the mid-19th century and the blocking of a doorway from the Old Pantry. Access to the front of the house from the Old Kitchen was then through a passage alongside the Western Tower created by the removal of a section of masonry. The partition was taken down during the current works, and a new concrete lintel with brickwork above built near the location of the removed masonry. The materials used in the partition were most likely re-used, since there was a mix of randomly coursed red and yellow stock, as well as half and three-quarter bricks. The wall also contained horizontal wooden beams within the build, which was markedly different from the 16th century fabric.
The northern wall of this room features an oak serving-hatch measuring 0.78m by 1.16m in an oak frame 1.08m high and 1.60m long (Figures 15 and 16). The hatch opens northwards into the Old Pantry with the hinges at the base. Four timbers form the frame, two upright and two horizontal members. The uprights and the sill do not appear to be re-used, therefore may be considered specifically shaped for this hatch, whereas the lintel is reused. It had a row of six holes at regular intervals of 0.275m, each filled with treenails of 2.5cm diameter on its north side, within the Old Pantry.
The sill of the serving-hatch is sited 0.60m above the current floor level and 0.90m above traces of the lowest, earlier floor recognised in Trench 12, within a purpose built opening in the brickwork, which is built in English bond. The sides and top of this opening are composed of specially fired bricks with a 45� chamfer. Prior to the work on the building, this wall was plastered, as were all walls on the ground floor, thus hiding the brickwork. The hatch is most likely part of the original fabric of the building, given the use of shaped bricks consistent with other openings on the ground floor.
East of the hatch is a blocked doorway, filled in with re-used red and yellow bricks that suggests a 19th century date for the blocking. The north-facing edge of the doorway was constructed of brick with chamfered edges like those surrounding the serving hatch (Figure 15). The chamfering was not apparent on the southern side.
The floor of this room was examined through excavation (Trench 13), and revealed two brick floors separated by 0.24m depth of made ground. The later was early 20th century and the earlier may have been original to the structure. The earlier floor was of a height with the sill of the blocked doorway (see Figure 15), and further floor remnants were found in the Old Pantry at the same level. There was no evidence to suggest or disprove that this part of Eastbury Manor had ever had a boarded floor over joists.
8.4.3 The Old Kitchen (Figures 12, 13a, 13b, 14, 16 and 17)
Following the removal of the 19th century wall of the Store, the north wall of the Old Kitchen again features an oak serving-hatch, as it had in the 16th century. This opens into the Old Pantry (hatch described in 8.4.2 above).
Beneath the modern floorboards of the Old Kitchen, wooden joists were revealed. These were in poor condition, the ends suffering from damp and beginning to rot, although the central part of the timbers seemed sturdy. The construction method of this floor was different to the upper stories of the west wing: the other two floors have joists and principals tied into the brickwork, but in the Old Kitchen, trimmers with a square profile of 0.12m rest upon low brick pads, held in place by a thin spread of mortar. The joists rest upon these trimmers. The timbers of the floor were an assorted mix of re-used purlins and sections of joists typically 0.06m wide and 0.12m thick, and there are six details worthy of further description.
Joints and elements below are illustrated (Figure 14).
Joint 1 A simple scarf joint with the northern part of the joist overlying the southern at approximately 60� to the vertical. This is used in the Old Kitchen, extending re-used timbers to span the length of the room. In each of the joints recorded in the Old Kitchen, the joints were tight, but it seems probable that they are joined by mortise and tenon.
Joint 2 A mortise and tenon scarf joint, as Joint 1, but with the southern timber overlying the north. At its two locations in the Old Kitchen, the tenons are visible, with dimensions of 0.02m by 0.04m on joists 0.06m by 0.11m. This joint was notable for being fixed to underlying principal joists with mortar (not illustrated due to similarity to Joint 1).
Joint 3 In the Old Kitchen, a partial lap joint over a trimmer.
Element 1 An empty mortise 0.11m by 0.03m, 0.05m deep, in a principal joist 0.12m square.
Element 2 A short length of principal joist at the southern end of the Old Kitchen, 0.12m deep, 0.11m wide, rectangular with a stepped 20mm rebate on its northern edge. This indicates that this is one of many re-used elements of the floor of the Old Kitchen, and may indicate that none of the joists are original to the building, since there are many re-used timbers.
Element 3 A principal joist that is 0.12m square, made from a re-used timber of unclear origin. It does not seem to have been a purlin, since the housings for adjoining timbers are of a different profile. There are seven housings, each 0.07m by 0.12m and 0.04m deep. Holes for treenails are present behind each. The spaces in between are regular, at intervals of 0.39m.
Element 4 A timber with three dovetail housings measuring 0.07m, widening to 0.12m, and only 0.025m deep. It was reused as part of a common joist.
Element 5 A timber re-used as a principal joist that is 0.12m square. Housings for previously affixed timbers measure 0.06m by 0.06m and are 0.02m deep. Treenail holes 0.08m deep in the top show that this may have previously been a principal joist.
Element 6 This number is used to define extensions to the joists in the Old Kitchen. These had been nailed into position.
On the eastern wall of the Old Kitchen is a shallow groove in the brickwork immediately south of a new lintel between the east wall and the brick pillar that survives at the corner of the Old Pantry (Figure 17). The channel is 0.14m wide and a maximum of 0.01m deep, and it was visible from the level of the floorboards in the Kitchen Passage to a height of 2.14m. It is thought to mark the beginning of the western stair passage before it was removed in the 19th century. The footings of this wall were uncovered beneath the floorboards of the Kitchen Passage (Figure 13a).
8.4.4 The Old Pantry (Figures 12, 13a, 15 and Plate 2)
The serving hatch from the Old Store dominates the south wall of the Old Pantry (Plate 2). The lintel of the frame features six peg holes at regular spacing of 0.275m with their treenails in situ. The original use for this timber is unknown, but it had probably been structural. The sill of the frame was regularly covered with small horizontal chisel marks up to 2.5cm wide and a maximum of 4mm deep. The reason for this action is thought to be to aid the adherence of plaster.
The Old Pantry is accessed from the Kitchen Passage, but was once also accessed from the Store, the doorway blocked in the 19th century. Excavations in the room (Trench 12) revealed a brick floor showing signs of repair that is part of the same surface recorded in the Store. The eastern wall was of 19th century date and made of mixed red and yellow bricks. It has now been removed for access to a new lift that serves each floor of the Manor. Examination proved that the wall was of 19th century date, and had a vertical joint on its southern edge against a pillar of original brickwork. The pillar was retained, and comparison with the 1834 Restored Plan (Figure 45) shows that it formed the west side of the doorway between the Old Kitchen and the Kitchen Passage, and also part of a short passage leading to the Western Tower. The foundation recorded during under-floor observations is part of the same build.
8.4.5 The Old Buttery (Figures 12 and 13a)
Very few of the floorboards were lifted during the archaeological recording of this room, but the joists were examined from the northern cellar. The floor of the Old Buttery is mainly supported by a principal joist running north-south that is tied into brickwork at either end. No carpenter's marks were apparent on this or any other timber of this floor.
Alterations and repairs to the structure of the Old Buttery floor are described in the section on the Northern Cellar (8.3.2).
The floor of the Old Buttery is higher than that of the Old Kitchen, and both the 1834 and 1872 plans (Figures 45 and 46) show steps rising from the Hall to the Old Buttery. The existence of these steps was not proved during the watching brief, since floorboards were not raised.
8.4.6 The Kitchen Passage (Figures 12 and 13a)
Only small areas of the passage between the kitchen and the staircase lobby were available for examination. Common joists ran north-south for the length of the room, with regular spacing of 0.39m. No principal joist was apparent. Beneath the floorboards were the footings for two walls that were demolished in the 19th century.
One foundation ran northwest-southeast, and would have blocked the current access from the Old Kitchen, joining the southeast corner of the Old Pantry to the southern side of the doorway to the spiral staircase. The footing was composed of red bricks measuring 241mm by 116mm by 65mm, bonded by strong lime mortar. Only the top course of the foundation was visible and this showed a header bond. Most of the structure seemed to be a single brick wide, but an area of mortar and brick pieces on the northwest side suggests this footing had been wider. Access between the common joists was very limited, so the full extent of this foundation was not determined.
The other foundation was made of the same type of brick and mortar, and ran west from the north side of the access to the spiral staircase for a length of 0.74m. The fact that the foundation stops suggests that this may have been the north jamb of a doorway, the southern jamb being the pillar retained at the southeast corner of the Old Pantry. There is no representation of this on any of the available historic plans.
Plans from the 19th century actually reveal the sequence of changes within Eastbury Manor. The foundations under the Kitchen Passage are the remains of the walls of the access to the Western Tower before the Store was built and the floor raised by 0.30m. Whether the original floor at this point was paved, like the porch, or was of timber, like in the Old Kitchen, is unknown.
8.4.7 The Porch (Figures 5, 12 and 13a)
The floor of the Porch was excavated as Trench 11. This was not joisted, and the latest phase consisted of east-west rows of brick, slate and tile, which had been laid to support the stone slab floor, probably 20th century. There was scant evidence of previous floors beneath, beyond patches of mortar and brick fragments, so the form of previous floors in the porch is unknown.
The elevation of the west wall of the porch was recorded, although no work was undertaken there during the monitoring visits. It is presented with the section of Trench 11 (figure 5).
8.5 The First Floor (Figures 18-25)
Insertion of electric cables and telecom wires resulted in much of the structural timbers of the first floor exposed for recording and inspection. Removal of some plaster was undertaken, and occasional elements of wall construction were recorded.
8.5.1 The Garderobe Tower (Figures 18, 19b, 21 and Plate 3)
The garderobe on the southeast corner of the west wing of Eastbury Manor was in very poor condition, both the roof and the floor. No floorboards were extant; three short joists badly tied into the brickwork running north-south spanned a void below to the ground floor. Each joist was of different size, the easternmost 0.05m by 0.11m, the central one 0.08m by 0.10m, and the westernmost 0.11m by 0.07m.
The lath and plaster ceiling of the garderobe was missing, having disintegrated following the collapse of the roof above. Hints of laths were visible as stains on the underside of the four joists that ran east west and spanned the ceiling. The northernmost joist was the only converted timber, the other three deriving from quartering of an undressed log that had only the bark removed. It is uncertain whether these are the original joists as they lay within square housings in the brickwork that did not reflect their profile.
The top of the Garderobe Tower was composed of decorative brickwork that formed a peaked ridge around the outside of the tower with a sloping roof within. Much of the ridge was not present, having been subject to erosion and decay, but staining on the wall indicated its original position. The roof of the tower had slumped from its original position, and was resting on the ceiling timbers below, no longer in place. The roof was composed of red brick and mortar with a layer of render above forming an even surface. Its original form appeared to be sloping south to north, with a drop of 1 in 10 (Plate 3).
Examination of the exterior of the Garderobe Tower showed many cracks in the brickwork, as if the entire tower were subsiding. This apparent movement may be the cause of the disintegration of the roof.
8.5.2 The New Store (Figures 18, 19b and 22)
The New Store was created by the removal of the partitions at the southern end of the west wing. No floorboards were lifted to examine the joists below, but removal of plaster on the south wall revealed the scar of an early partition that ran north-south, 1.50m from the west wall. No impression of the continuation of this partition was apparent on the floorboards or the ceiling laths. The scar was characterised by being infilled with 19th century bricks and yellow cement, as opposed to the lime mortar of the original build.
Evidence of another partition was identified on the ceiling laths. A ghost impression of a second north-south partition was recorded 0.15m wide, at 1.95m east of the west wall. The date of these partitions is unknown. The scar on the wall had no other impressions related to it, but the scar on the ceiling corresponds to a partition illustrated on the 1834 plan (Figure 49).
The removal of boards and shutters from the window in the south wall of the room revealed the original 16th century brickwork; this was photographed and drawn. The window frame and window itself were in poor condition, and are now restored. At 0.80m from the floor level was a shelf 0.32m wide that may have been a window seat. That part of the south wall between the window and the seat was built differently from any other part of the house seen during the works, with bricks set on their sides. The mortar was consistent with that of the majority of the building, so it is likely that this is part of the original layout.
8.5.3 The Southwest Chamber (Figures 18, 19a, 19b and 20)
The southwest chamber is defined at floor level by three principal joists running east-west, and tied into the brickwork. Two support the north and south walls of the room respectively, the third runs across the centre of the room. The principal joists were largely obscured by extant recent floorboards, so it could not be proved that all the common joists were pegged mortise and tenon joints. However, some information was forthcoming, in that the northern and central beams both carry rebates (Element 7), presumably housing for the edges of floorboards.
Joint 4 (Figure 20). A joint using a pair of pegged tenons on a joist, secured to a principal joist. This is the most common joint in the Manor House, and is seen in most of the original fabric. The joists are typically 0.06m by 0.36m, and the principal joists have a rectangular profile 0.38m by 0.357m. The top of the joists are level with the bottom of the rebate.
Element 7 (Figure 20). A rebate 45mm wide and 20mm deep along each of the outer edges of the upper surface of the principal joist. If the rebate was cut to carry floorboards, then there may have been secondary boards sealing them, otherwise the principal joist in the middle of the room would have been visible. However, if soft furnishings such as rugs or carpets were used, this would not have been an issue.
The windows of the room were in poor condition, and required replacing; the brick frames, including the sills and lintels were heavily eroded, as were specially shaped bricks forming the mullions and transoms. The lime mortar bonding the bricks had also been subject to erosion. Photography was undertaken, and it was evident that much of the glass and frames were not original to the building, fixings for previous glazing being apparent on those original mullions, transoms and frames.
8.5.4 Windows (Figure 24)
The windows of the first floor show repairs and alterations typical of each of the windows of the west wing of Eastbury Manor. The north window of the southwest chamber is described as an example: The window is split into six lights by two mullions and a single transom. The jambs are made of shaped bricks, as are the mullions and transom. The bricks measure 0.22m by 0.10m by 0.06m, and each end is cut, leaving a hollow chamfer. The shaping was done before the firing of the bricks. The transom and the lintel are both a single brick-length wide, and are given support by a pair of iron bars that run directly beneath.
The original location of the glazing was apparent as a groove within the uncut part of the bricks that was filled with lime mortar. This probably held a metal frame, but it did not survive episodes of refenestration. This groove was later covered by a thin skim of render, painted white. On the outside of the lights, new windows had been added, and these had been affixed simply by a greyish brown mortar.
8.5.5 The Female WC (Figures 18 and 19a)
This room is in the centre of the west wing. The southern principal (also the northern principal of the southwest chamber) exhibits a rebate (Element 7) that is not apparent on the north side, where the principal joist has a rectangular profile. This single rebate may indicate re-use of this principal joist. Fourteen double tenon common joists (Joint 4) run north-south across the room, and each was pegged into the principals. The joists measure 0.05m by 0.36m and are 2.82m long.
Three original floorboards survived in this room, two on the south side and one in the northwest corner. They were secured with wrought iron nails, two into each common joist. The surviving edge of the southern board was in poor condition, giving a maximum width of 0.28m. The longest board was 2.76m long, and all were 0.02m thick. One of the southern boards continued into the hallway to the east, showing that at least part of the eastern wall of the female WC is later than the floor. This suggests that the east wall of this room is a later partition and may not necessarily be an original element of the structure. There was no evidence of secondary boards above, so these boards may be considered to be the finished floor level of the original build.
8.5.6 The Male WC (Figures 18 and 19a)
This room, north of the female WC now has a lift rising through it, the insertion of which required the cutting of the common joists, which measured 0.05m by 0.36m and the insertion of a new trimmer joist. The cut ends of the common joists are now housed in galvanised steel joist trimmers. The soffits of two of the four cut joists had been raised with lengths of 4mm thick baton, most likely applied for levelling prior to applying floorboards. The joists of this room showed an exceptional number of disused nails in comparison to other joists on this floor. These are shown on the plan (Figure 18) to demonstrate that there have been several phases of lifting/replacing floorboards. There had once been a doorway between the Male WC and the Northwest Chamber, located 0.21m west of the current door, and 0.86m wide. A thin timber sill survives beneath blocking, and there seem to be surviving doorjambs on either side. This doorway implies a functional relationship between the two rooms. The doorway is not shown on the 1834 plan, so can be assumed to have been blocked previously.
8.5.7 Passage to the East (Figures 18, 19a, 19b and 20a)
The hall east of the two WCs proved to have the best degree of floorboard survival of any parts of the Manor seen during these works, with 30% of the original boards present. The western end of the floorboards were obscured by the WC partition walls, but only one continued into the WCs, suggesting that the others were chopped. The floorboards lacked regularity, widths varying from 0.44m to 0.30m. Some of the boards exhibited cut edges not necessary for their place in the room, so may be reused from elsewhere in the house. It was noted that the tops of the common joists (Joint 4) were level with the top of the principal joist in this hallway. The principal joist at the southern end of the hallway was only accessible within the space of the doorway, and this exhibited a 45� chamfer on its northern edge (E 10).
Element 10 (Figure 20). Principal joist profile at southern end of Hall.
The wall dividing the hall from the two WCs was constructed of lath and plaster over stud-work which is considered unlikely to have been part of the original fabric of the building, since it overlies a floorboard between the two rooms. Part of this had to be removed for access to the new lift, but it gave the opportunity for more recording. The studs were affixed to the underlying joist between principals at regular intervals of 0.37m and were of roughly squared timbers not perfectly finished. The base of the wall facing into the hall exhibited remnants of black paint, forming a band 0.18m high at the base of the wall. This decorative band may be considered a precursor to the skirting boards.
8.5.8 The Northwest Chamber (Figures 18, 19a, 19b and 20)
The Northwest Chamber exhibited signs of gravitational strain, and the floor had undergone repair in the past. This was most notable in the central principal joist, running east-west, which was supported on both sides by iron I-section beams that ran for half the width of the room, tied into the eastern wall. These support a repair with a scarf joint that is both bolted and clamped by an iron bar. This was not dismantled, so its form was not entirely clear; it is most likely that only one end of this beam is original and a new piece was clamped on. Common joists that would have been mortised into the principal are now tied into the I-section beams by short lengths of replaced timber bolted onto the truncated ends of the joists.
Element 8 (Figure 20). Repair to the principal joist with I-beams and a scarf joint. This is illustrated from the underside. Detail of the scarf is obscured by the I-beams. Measuring from above and below suggests an angle of 65� for the joint, angled towards the west.
Element 9 (Figure 20). Repair to the common joists to accommodate the I-beams.
The common joists that run north-south also evince the need for repair. Two visible to the west have slipped from their mortises by 12mm and are slightly warped, most likely the result of overloading above. Those joists that would have met the principal joist (where it was supported by I beams), have all been cut and then extended with bolted lap joints. The original joists measure 0.06m by 0.357m.
Joint 5 (Figure 20). Shows a repair to the basic two-tenon pegged mortise (Joint 4). There is a trimmer bolted to the north principal. The lower mortises are now redundant, and the common joists are cut to accommodate it.
A doorway exited the Northwest Chamber to the east, leading to the Kitchen over the porch. It was possible to record elements of the original construction of this doorway, namely the lintel (Figure 23). The wooden jambs had previously been removed and both sides of the doorway were constructed of the same bricks as the majority of Eastbury Manor. There were three horizontal wooden battens set into the brickwork on either side of the doorway, each measuring 0.52m by 0.12m by 0.06m. These would have either held the doorframe, panelling or studs for lath and plaster. The doorway was 1.06m wide, with a wall thickness of 0.54m. The lintel was partially obscured by plaster. The east and west edges of the soffit are both chamfered. The top was not available for recording. Four mortises each 0.16m by 0.05m and 0.05m deep are cut into the soffit of the lintel, indicating that it was once fixed to the door jambs.
8.5.9 Kitchen and Secret Chamber (Figures 18 and 19a)
This room was recorded photographically and in plan before any repair work was undertaken. The repairs included blocking the doorway from the northwest chamber. The floor joists were available for recording through limited lifting of floorboards. Six joists run north south, tied into the brickwork of the exterior wall of the house and the porch structure. The joists were less substantial than those of the rooms in the West Wing; five were approximately 0.15m wide and 0.10m deep, while a sixth to the west was only 0.10m square in profile. One joist showed a single empty peghole, evidence of reuse. Access under the modern floorboards was very limited in this room, so examination of the 'Secret Chamber' in the floor void was not possible.
The entrance to the Kitchen from the first floor landing was also examined. This showed the same construction methods as the doorway from the Northwest Chamber: Either side of the doorway was constructed of the most usual type of brick recorded elsewhere within Eastbury Manor, and again, each side of the doorway included three regularly spaced battens measuring 0.52m by 0.12m by 0.06m.
8.5.10 Doorway to Landing (Figure 25)
At the time of recording, access to the West Wing was through a door from the Western Tower, and also through a doorway with a four-centred arch. This arch is not part of the original fabric of the building, but dates to after 1834 (Eastbury Illustrated). The arch measures 1.94 wide and is 2.57m high, with the arch springing at 2.23m above floor level. The jamb on the southern side appears to be an original face, with smoothly finished bricks and two wooden battens for panelling included. The doorways of the Kitchen (8.5.8) had the lintel directly above the uppermost batten, at a height of 1.98m, and the top batten is at a similar height here, suggesting the height of the original doorway here was also 1.98m. The northern jamb was much poorer, the bricks having rough, broken edges, and no wooden battening. This indicates the doorway was widened.
The top of the arch appeared to be an inventive, if rather weak, piece of engineering. It is presumed that above the original doorway, brickwork continued to the attic floor, where a principal joist is held within the brickwork, supporting the joists of the Attic Central Range. With the insertion of this arch, the brickwork was removed to ceiling level, leaving only four courses of brick above with little support. The only supports for this brickwork are two pieces of timber, springing from the sides of the new doorway and wedged against the underside of the brick. The arch was formed from two thin boards, and plaster formed the curved parts. Seven studs were applied between the ceiling, the supporting timbers and the arch, which held lath and plaster. It did not appear very sturdy, or a satisfactory method of building for the long term.
8.6 THE ATTIC RANGE (Figures 26-44)
8.6.1 The West Wing (Figures 26-44)
The survey of the attic revealed a wealth of information, the details of which can best be described by detailed elevations of the attic space (Figures 29-43). The attic has a regularity of build with eight equidistant principal joists spanning the width of the wing, to which the common joists are fixed. The space between the principal joists is a regular 3.04m, and each principal has a 0.36m square profile. The paired principal rafters are located at the same intervals as the joists and affixed to them are short braces supported by internal queen posts. Mortise and tenon jointing is used throughout the roof space, with joints of other types being rare. To locate the principal joists, each was given a letter-code for ease of recording (A-A, B-B etc). Subsidiary joists with supporting queen posts were also identified by letter.
General
The attic range is constructed largely of timber, with a high degree of regularity to the build. Eight principal joists span the width of the room east-west at intervals of 3.05m (10 ft), and are each 0.36m square in profile. The northern and southernmost principals are set within the brickwork of the Manor, forming part of the north and south walls respectively. Four of the six inner principals have a pair of queen posts 0.20m square mortised to them supporting principal rafters as they rise from the wall plates. At the locations of two of the windows in the west side of the room, a western post is not apparent, and neither are there empty mortises in the principal joists, indicating that this was a deliberate build, to allow best access to the windows.
Floor Plan (Figures 26, 27 and 27b)
Additional principal joists are present forming the floor of the attic, and these have the function of supporting additional queen posts at areas of potential instability. These are defined as secondary joists. One such joist runs north-south on the western side between A and B. Two other joists run north south; one between E and F, and one between F and G. These provide additional support where the roof of the Attic Central Range meets the roof of the western attic.
Joint 6 (Figure 28). Queen post mortised into principal joist of attic floor. Potential treenail fixings were not visible.
The principal rafters spring from wall-plates built into the brickwork of the manor house. Some of these were obscured by paint and plaster still affixed to the walls during the recording action, yet enough was examined to make it clear that the wall plates of either side of the attic were not single lengths of timber, but several sections formed the base for the principal rafters.
The queen posts are tenoned to the principal rafters and secured by typically three treenails, although sometimes there are just two, and occasionally, four.
Joint 7 (Figure 28). Queen post to principal rafter.
Above the queen posts, each location has a collar beam between the principal rafters of the two sides of the roof. This presumably utilises mortise and tenon jointing, but the joints are largely obscured by further timberwork; between each of the main rafters are purlins running north-south, each a separate timber.
Joint 8 (Figure 28). Collar beam to principal rafter. Only one of these showed evidence of construction, mortise and tenon, with a single treenail in either end.
Joint 9 Purlin between principal rafters. Details hidden, not illustrated.
Joint 10 Supporting struts between collar beam and principal rafter. Extra supporting struts run from each rafter to the collar beams, typically mortise and tenon joints pegged at each end with four treenails. The purlins hold common rafters between the wall plate and the apex of the roof. Not illustrated.
Joint 11 (Figure 28). Common rafters mortised into purlin. Not accessible, not illustrated.
Joint 12 (Figure 28). Horizontal support onto queen post.
Joint 13 (Figure 28). Horizontal support onto main rafter.
Joint 14 Slotted mortise joint as seen at J -double lapped tenon? Not illustrated.
Joint 15 Lap joint of wall plate over short horizontal beam (at B). Not illustrated.
Joint 16 (Figure 28). Raking Strut to horizontal support.
Joint 17 (Figure 28). Raking Strut to principal joist.
Joint 18 Collar beam to purlin at (F). Not illustrated.
Joint 19 Gable rafter (at G) lapping over purlin. Not illustrated.
Joint 20 (Figure 28). Brace between rafter and purlin, east side at J, and elsewhere.
8.6.1.1 Principal Joist A illustrated north-facing. (Figure 29)
This elevation shows a detail of construction that is regular throughout the attic. The principal joist (0.36m square) is cut by the mortises for 17 joists running north-south to Joist B at intervals of 0.32m. The common joists each measure 0.34m by 0.06m, are 2.88m long, and are affixed to the principal by pegged double tenons (Joint 4). The stability of the southern wall and the floor has been compromised, since 11 of the 17 joists are parted from the principal joist, presumably being held in place by the double tenons at Principal Joist B. This defect is most notable in the southwest corner, where extra batons have been inserted, and an extra beam bolted to the principal to reaffix three of the joists. The moving of the tenons from their mortises is thought to have been caused by excessive weight on the joists.
Two square queen posts rise from the principal joist, presumably fixed by mortise and tenon. It was not possible to see the joint here, but at Principal Joist B, a little movement had opened the joint (Joint 6), and this is likely to be similar. Both queen posts are 2.25m long, and the visible side is 0.20m wide. The queen posts are jointed to the principal rafters by three treenails each (Joint 7), which are cut flush with the post.
At 2.80m above the joists, a collar beam runs east-west, tying the principal rafters of the roof together. This is thought to be attached by a pegged mortise and tenon joint at either end, but the pegs are obscured by purlins running north. An angled brace crosses the corner between each principal rafter and the collar beam (Joint 10); this is secured by four treenails holding the tenon into its mortis. The eastern and western principal rafters are secured to each other by a single-pegged mortise and tenon joint, the mortise on the western principal rafter. This joint is used at each principal rafter throughout the west wing.
The eastern upright queen post has a horizontal support tenoned to it with three nails (Joint 12); the opposing end abuts the brickwork and supports the first principal rafter (Joint 13). There were no treenails apparent between the rafter and the support, but the joint has to be pegged rather than wedged, or else it would pull apart.
Also visible on the southern wall of the attic space was the window sill, a slightly irregular beam, tapering from 0.08m on the east side of the window to 0.06m on the west.
8.6.1.2 Subsidiary Support J illustrated north-facing. (Figure 30)
The west-facing window at the southern end of the attic space is a potential weak point in the construction because, in order to allow both light and space, there is no queen post at the western side of Principal Joist B, at the apex of the gable. Extra support is supplied by a short secondary joist 0.20m square tenoned between principal joists A and B. This provides the bed for an upright queen post 0.20m square on the western side of the attic. This is fixed to the principal rafter by a single treenail, within a slotted joint (Joint 14). This joint is rarely seen in this roof space, and may indicate that the post is either a replacement or repair. There is an empty mortise on the opposing (eastern side) principal rafter, indicating that this may have been prepared to accept a similar upright, but there was no evidence that this had ever been utilised in the building.
Between the principal rafters is pegged a collar beam, 2.55m above the floor. A single tree-nail was evident in the principals, indicating a mortise and tenon joint (Joint 8). Two supporting braces, each end pegged with four nails, run between the principal rafters and the collar beam (Joint 10).
The eastern principal rafter does not appear to be affixed to the brickwork; rather it butts a section of lower purlin that runs between A and C. It must be fixed, else would pull away, but it may be that purlins either side of it and the eastern principal rafter are sufficient for structural integrity. Alternately, there may be a timber on the outside of the attic space, hidden behind the plastered interior. There is a peg shown on the elevation of the eastern side (Figure 42).
8.6.1.3 Principal Joist B illustrated north-facing. (Figure 31)
This elevation shows the timbers above principal joist B, where the window is situated. Not all of the timbers were visible as some of the roof space is hidden by a plasterboard ceiling which was not removed during the recording visits. A single upright queen post 0.20m square rises from the principal joist on the east side of the room, tenoned into the principal rafter (Joint 7). This upright is box quartered, but has a small area near the top where the thickness of the timber was slightly less than that needed for the job, the surface of the sapwood plainly showing. The east side of this queen post exhibits carpenter's marks, five oblique lines scored through horizontally by a sixth, and taking up an area 100mm by 60mm.
The queen post has further structural elements affixed to it; a horizontal beam also 0.20m square runs to the eastern principal rafter, probably a mortise and tenon joint, potential pegs obscured by internal plaster of the roof space. The lower purlin runs over the top of this beam, and a section has been removed from it, forming a lap-joint (Joint 15). The upright queen post is also supported by a raking strut at 45� with a square profile of 0.20m. This is mortised both into the principal joist (Joint 17) and the horizontal (Joint 16), with a single treenail consolidating the joint. This part of the attic space has needed repair, as shown by the addition of a second horizontal beam between the queen post and the eastern wall. This is not affixed by carpentry, but by an iron clasp. It seems likely that it acts as a wedge to prevent movement.
The principal rafter has a collar beam tenoned to it at 2.50m above the floor, and has a supporting brace between, fixed by four treenails at either end.
8.6.1.4 Principal Joist C illustrated north-facing (Figure 32)
This principal joist supports similar elements of the construction of the attic space seen at locations A and B. Two queen posts are tenoned to the principal joist (Joint 6), one at either side of the room. These are jointed to the principal rafter (Joint 7), the post to the east by three treenails, the post to the west by two. The rafters are stabilised by a collar beam between, presumably utilising mortise and tenon jointing again (Joint 8). Extra braces also run between the collar beam and the principal rafters on each side (Joint 10). The principal rafters both rise from wall-plates.
As seen at location B, the upright queen posts have extra supports. That to the west has a single horizontal beam 0.20m square fixed by a mortise and tenon joint with 2 treenails (Joint 12). The western end of the beam was not examined, being hidden by more modern paint and plaster. The queen post on the east side is supported by a similar horizontal beam that is held by two treenails and lap-jointed to the wall-plate. A brace 0.20m square runs from the principal rafter (Joint 17) and is attached to the supporting beam by a mortise and tenon joint with a single treenail (Joint 16).
Similar repairs to those apparent at principal rafter B have also been undertaken at this location. The eastern queen post has a secondary horizontal beam slung below the first, held in place by an iron clasp; the beam acts as a wedge. The western post also has an additional piece of iron that consolidates the joint.
8.6.1.5 Principal Joist D illustrated north-facing. (Figure 33)
This illustration shows that the regularity of build throughout the attic space continues, with extra supports necessary to accommodate the doorway to the spiral stairway and the central window in the western wall.
Two queen posts rise from the principal joist, one on either side, which support the principal rafters (Joint 7). The number of treenails used differs, however, with two nails jointing the mortise and tenon of the eastern queen post, and three to the west. The collar beam is held in place between the two rafters by two treenails affixing the mortise and tenon joint (Joint 8) at either end. Only the eastern side is supported by an extra brace between the principal rafter and the collar beam, and this is pegged in by four treenails at either end (Joint 10).
The principal rafter on the western side of the roof is bedded on a beam supported by the upright queen post. The beam is held in place to the upright by a double pegged mortise and tenon joint (Joint 12), and the western end is tied into brickwork. The principal is attached to the horizontal beam by a double pegged mortise and tenon (Joint 13). A lower purlin was subsequently slotted between this rafter and that seen at C, but its method of fixture was not seen.
The queen post on the eastern side has an empty mortise facing west, which did not have an immediately clear function. It is possible that it was mis-cut in the laying out of the timbers originally, or it may be evidence of re-use. There is also a horizontal beam tied between the brickwork and the post. The beam is affixed by two treenails (Joint 12). The principal rafter of the eastern side laps over this beam, and no fixings were apparent.
In the area of the door, the ceiling is supported by three struts at 45�. They are 0.64m long, with a rectangular profile 0.08m by 0.06m. These are also present at joist E, the opposing side of the doorway.
Repairs similar to those seen at joists C and B are also apparent here. On the west side, two wooden batons have been nailed to the horizontal beam between the queen post and the wall. To the east, a length of planking has been nailed between the principal rafter and the principal joist, along side an iron bar, nailed between the beam and the principal joist. The need for these battens and iron bar is not clear, since they seem to add little to the structural stability. It is possible that the wooden battens are actually part of a relatively recent in filling of the spaces; the eastern queen post had lath and plaster between it and the eastern wall.
8.6.1.6 Principal Joist E illustrated south-facing (Figure 34)
This is located on the north side of the central door and window of the attic space, and shows the same construction techniques as elsewhere in the attic space. Two queen posts rise from the principal joist, and are attached to the rafters with mortise and tenons, each pegged with three treenails. The there is a collar beam between the two rafters, the joint here is obscured by purlins, but it is likely to be the same as at D (Joint 8). On both ends of the collar beam are struts fixed to the principal rafters, both fixed with 3 treenails to the rafter, and four to the collar beam.
The rafters both rest on short horizontal beams that are pegged to the queen posts at one end, and incorporated into the masonry at the other. The beam is joined to the east-side post with a two-peg mortise and tenon joint (Joint 12), and the rafter is secured by a single treenail (Joint 13). The horizontal beam has extra support from a brace 0.20m square that is tenoned into the principal joist near the junction of the wall (Joint 17), and to the beam with a single peg (Joint 16). This beam shows evidence of previous structural use, there being two cuts for the housing of a lap joint and two treenail holes showing on the south-facing elevation. Three struts of identical form support the ceiling over the doorway at this point.
On the western side, the same structural details show; a beam between the queen post and the wall, to which is fixed the principal rafter is supported by a brace timber from the principal joist. This part is obscured by a narrow sheet of metal that is nailed between the beam and the principal joist, giving additional strength.
Although no carpenter's marks were visible at this point, graffiti was seen on the southern side of the western post; two capital letters have been inscribed, an H above an E which is written backwards. There was no date apparent for this inscription.
8.6.1.7 Subsidiary Support K illustrated north facing. (Figure 35)
This subsidiary support is composed of a secondary joist running north-south between principal joists E and F, on the eastern side of the attic into which an upright post 0.20m square is tenoned (Joint 6). This queen post is tenoned to the eastern principal rafter (Joint 7) of the valley to the central range, where only a single treenail was visible behind a purlin in front. The principal rafter on the western side is supported by a purlin, the eastern principal rafter and the western wall; the purlin to a collar beam that spans between the two sides of the attic.
As the principal rafters of the gable end rise to meet the apex of the roof, four common rafters were recorded, each 0.06m wide. They are fixed from the outside of the building, so it could not be determined whether nails, pegs or treenails were used.
Repair to the fabric of the building was apparent here too. A single wooden board is pegged between the principal joist and the principal rafter on the eastern side.
8.6.1.8 Principal Joist F illustrated south-facing. (Figure 36)
This joist is located under the apex of the attic roof leading eastwards towards the central range. The principal joist, like all others in the attic, is tied into the brickwork of the building. There is one upright queen post supporting the western principal rafter, fixed with a mortise and tenon joint to both the joist (Joint 6) and to the rafter, the latter with two treenails (Joint 7). The post carries a horizontal beam tied into the brickwork and tenoned in with two treenails (Joint 12). As seen elsewhere in the attic, the upright has additional support from a brace running from the principal joist (Joint 17) and the horizontal beam (Joint 16), pegged by a single treenail. The principal rafter is secured to the horizontal beam rather than a wall-plate (Joint 13).
A largely unconverted collar beam runs from the principal rafter (Joint 8) to a purlin on the east side of the roof (Joint 18) that spans the width of the central range. This collar beam has additional support from a single strut that runs between it and the principal rafter, and is fixed by mortise and tenon with four treenails at either end (Joint 10).
The elevation also shows the location of the subsidiary joist supporting the queen post at K. The apex of the roof to the central range is also illustrated here, and the associated common rafters are partially shown. They cannot be fully illustrated in the vertical plane, since they are angled back towards locations G and L.
The repairs using iron seen at other of the queen posts are also apparent here; an iron clasp encircles the post, is nailed to the horizontal beam, and attached to the post by a thin iron strap. This must be to strengthen the joint.
8.6.1.9 Subsidiary Support L illustrated south-facing. (Figure 37 and Plate 4)
Only the eastern side of this elevation is shown, as there was no additional information on the west side. A secondary joist runs north-south between principal joists F and G, and a single queen post rises on the eastern side. The queen post supports the principal rafter on the northern side of the western end of the Central Range with a double nailed mortise and tenon as it rises from G to above F. A secondary sub-rafter is not connected with the queen post, but runs up to the purlin, where it finishes, attached with a single peg mortise and tenon. Both of these timbers are based upon the brick wall of the eastern side.
The purlin that spans between E and L is a single timber with a polygonal profile, utilising lap joints where it is affixed to the principal rafters.
The beginning of the roof of the central range is visible at this point, exhibiting six common joists. Three of these have horizontal beams running north south from them to a similar position to the south at K. These beams are given extra support by angled struts rising to meet them.
8.6.1.10 Principal Joist G illustrated south-facing. (Figure 38)
Principal joist G lies directly beneath the apex of the gable window at the north end of the west wall. From the joist rises a single queen post (Joint 6), and below it runs an additional principal joist to joist F. The post has a horizontal beam attached with a mortise and tenon joint fixed by three treenails (Joint 12). The other end is built into the wall. The principal rafter on the eastern side rises from this horizontal beam, fixed via a mortise and tenon joint with a single treenail visible (Joint 13). The rafter is supported by the queen post which is tenoned and fixed by three treenails. There are purlins on each side of the roof here; that to the east is cut and enters the principal rafter with a lapped tenon that joins with a further length of purlin beyond. The purlin to the east spans the space caused by the window, and the two rafters that form the valley to the gable end are supported on this purlin, with lap joints (Joint 19) securing the timber in position.
Between the eastern principal rafter and the western purlin is a collar beam, attached with three treenails securing a mortise and tenon joint. The method of securing to the purlin could not be determined, but was most likely a pegged mortise and tenon joint too. A brace runs between the rafter and the collar beam.
The ridge plate that forms the peak of the gable over the window has six common joists running between it and the principal rafter that forms the valley on either side. These are 0.06m wide, and the method of their attachment was not visible, being hidden by the roof, but they are clearly secured from the outside.
Repairs in the form of iron clasps and bolts have been undertaken. Beneath the horizontal beam is a second beam, held in place by a clasp, and acting as a wedge. The queen post has extra strapping affixing it to the rafter, and there is more supporting the rafter to the horizontal beam.
8.6.1.11 Subsidiary Support M illustrated south-facing (Figure 39)
This is a location using principal rafters, but not a principal joist, therefore no queen posts used. The two principal rafters are both affixed to lower purlins, with the method of jointing hidden by the timbers themselves. A collar beam separates the two at a height of 2.60m above the floor, which is fixed by mortise and tenon (Joint 8). Braces pegged with four nails at either end run between the rafters and the collar beam (joint 10). There are mortises cut below the location of these struts, indicating that they were prepared to have queen posts affixed, but were never used. The principal rafter of the gable valley is visible at this point as it runs diagonally to the apex of the roof, and three common rafters were apparent, each with horizontal beams springing from them supported by struts of similar dimension (0.06m wide).
8.6.1.12 Principal Joist H illustrated south-facing. (Figure 40)
The north wall of the attic space shows most of the elements seen elsewhere in the attic. A principal joist is set into the brickwork, and this shows evidence of a major error in the original construction of Eastbury manor, in that this joist has had a set of mortises cut twice. One set contains tenons from 17 common joists that are pegged into double mortises (Joint 4). The other set of tenons are empty, but regularly spaced, and of a size suitable to be used here. It seems likely that this other set of mortises were prepared when the rest of the timber was laid out, and was mis-cut.
Two queen posts rise from the principal, both have horizontal beams supporting them that are attached using mortise and tenon, each pegged with 2 nails (Joint 12). The other ends of the beams are tied into the brickwork and also support the principal rafters. Between the collar beam and the principal rafters on both sides is a brace, secured by four treenails at each end (Joint 16). The principal rafters rise from the horizontal beams, being jointed to them (Joint 13), and resting on the top of the queen posts (Joint 7). Above this, a collar-beam pegged by a single treenail at either end runs east-west at 2.75m above the floor, forming the top of the window space. It is tenoned into the common rafters with a single treenail at either end (Joint 8). Between the principal rafters and the collar beam are short braces, each held in place by four nails at either end (Joint10).
This end of the attic exhibits the most carpenter's marks seen in the attic space. The eastern queen post is scored by a single horizontal line at the junction with the horizontal beam, on the western queen post, there are two. Where the queen posts meet the principal rafters, the eastern side has two scored lines, the western side three. The supporting struts show one score on the east side, two on the west. One other mark is apparent, two scored lines on the inner face of the eastern horizontal beam directly above the peg of the brace.
Two repairs are apparent here. The common joists have clearly departed from the principal joist in the past, and an extra beam has been applied to the south face of the principal across the width of the attic, supporting the end of the joists. The upper tenon of the two is slotted into the upper mortise in each case.
A single iron bar has been nailed to the westernmost horizontal beam and its associated brace, but whether this is contemporary with the repair to the common joists is unclear.
8.6.1.13 To the Central Range illustrated west-facing. (Figure 41)
The access to the Central Range is through a door, and the timbers that form the central range may be considered to start within the West Wing, since the roof is a continuous element of the building. This was built in the same form as seen in the West Wing; paired principal rafters support the roof, springing from the brickwork at E and G. There are no supporting queen posts, however, and lateral stability is provided by a collar beam with three treenails at either end, jointed with mortise and tenon, and there is a brace on each side, mortised and pegged each with four nails at either end. The westernmost paired rafters lie at an angle against the main roof of the west wing, forming a valley. At the apex, they are pegged to each other by two treenails. The fact that they lie over the main roof of the West Wing indicates that the construction of the Central Range post-dates that of the West Wing, but it is part of the same building project.
8.6.1.14 The Eastern side (travelling south to north) (Figure 42)
The eastern side of the attic space is clearly built in bays relating to the principal joists. Thus each bay can be identified as A-B, B-C etc.
Details of the construction of the small window at the south end of the east side of the attic space were not forthcoming due to paint and plaster, and the fact that it was not altered during the recent works. Extant plaster on the internal roof surfaces in bay A-B hid all information regarding the common rafters, but the regularity of the build in the rest of the attic suggests that a similar method is used. A short length of re-used purlin is used as a purlin between the principal rafter at J and that at B. Evidence of re-use is shown by three empty mortises and three empty nail-holes along the upper edge. The method by which it is attached to the rafters was not clear, but is likely to utilise a lapped tenon, i.e. tenons that overlap from opposite sides of a mortise. Between principal rafter J and the purlin running toward B is a brace 0.21m wide, of unknown depth, attached with mortise and tenon using two treenails at either end (Joint 20). An empty mortise in the principal rafter seems to have not been used; this did not seem to be a replacement or repair, rather it is original to the structure. The bottom of it finishes short of the wall and had perhaps rotted and was trimmed.
The lower purlin runs from the southern end of the building to joist C, lap-jointed over the horizontal support at B. The principal rafter is mortised into the horizontal support (Joint 13) at B.
The bay between B and C features the lower purlin continuing from the south, and a purlin connected by a double-lapped tenon between the principal rafters. The same piece has been used for the purlin between C and D. Along the top edge of the purlin are five regularly-spaced empty mortises with a nail-hole below. This is may be a sign of a re-used timber, but could equally have been an error in setting out. Between the principal rafters and the purlin is a pair of braces, jointed to the purlin near the centre (Joint 20). As before, the common rafters were not visible, but the lower ends of seven were visible below the rectangular-profiled lower purlin, all of which had small wedges on either side. These wedges did not seem original to the building, and may be a consolidation exercise to repair soft wood. The common rafters seen here had a dimension of 0.06m in width and the depth could be measured for 0.10m before plaster obscured their true depth.
The bay between C and D is built in the same way as B-C, but the common rafters were largely visible, five on either side of a central, small window. The two common rafters flanking this window have more recent wood nailed to the base, possibly a consolidation exercise. The purlin is from the same piece of timber as that seen at B-C, and exhibits the same evidence of former use, whereas the lower purlin is a new timber, 0.12m square, upon which the common rafters are attached. Towards the northern end of this lower purlin is a wooden block 0.32m by 0.20m and 0.05m deep which may be a supporting wedge of some kind, but its immediate function was unclear.
The bay between D and E lies in the centre of the west wing, and contains a door leading to the spiral staircase in the tower. The door is of oak, and formed of three planks with five horizontal wooden struts. It hangs on the north side of the frame, and is held by two large iron hinges. The door frame is composed of three timbers, two uprights, and a lintel affixed by two pegs. No rafters or detail of roof construction were available above the purlin due to access difficulties. The purlin itself is supported by two braces affixed to principal rafters at locations D and E.
The bay between E and G includes subsidiary supports at K and L, and the principal joist F lies under the apex of the roof leading to the attic central range. The purlin spanning the bay is a single timber, showing no signs of re-use, and has three additional collar beams spanning to the west side. The purlin is given additional support by a brace at each end; that to the north resting on a housing in the queen post at L (Plate 4), pegged at each end by two treenails. The brace to the south is held by a single treenail at either end. The common rafters are laid between the purlin and the apex before the rafters of the west end of the central range are laid. The frame supporting the end of the central range is constructed identically to the frames above the principal joists of the western attic range, with a collar beam between two principal rafters (Joint 8) and a strut on either side pegged by four nails each end (Joint 10).
The bay between G and H has an extra principal rafter that exhibits an empty mortise with three peg-holes that is not reflected in the west side. This suggests that the rafter is either reused or set out in error. A tie beam crosses the room at the height of the purlin, and the purlin itself (reused and a continuation from the previous bay) does not continue beyond this principal rafter. Three common rafters south of the extra principal have additional wedges, while a fourth does not continue to the wall plate, but terminates at a short strut between one common rafter and the principal at G. A brace runs between the extra principal and the purlin, pegged with two treenails to the principal, and one to the purlin. This brace has a carpenter's mark in the form of five oblique lines struck through by a sixth. North of the extra principal rafter are two further common rafters, both 0.13 by 0.06m in profile, that have an extra, wedge shaped piece of timber affixing them to the wall plate. This is likely to be evidence of repair rather than replacement. At purlin height, a length of timber 1.15m by 0.25m by 0.06m is nailed to these two common rafters, but does not add much structural support. At the northern wall of the building, a principal rafter holds the end of the roof, its detail described in 8.6.1.12.
8.6.1.15 The Western side (travelling north to south) (Figure 43)
The western side of the attic exhibits many similarities to the east, but differs by virtue of containing three windows.
At the northern end, an extra principal rafter is also present, with two common rafters to the north of it. One of the rafters has been marked, close to purlin height, by two horizontal cuts, carpenters' marks. The bay between H and F contains a window centrally positioned within a projecting dormer in the west face of the roof. This was built on after the common rafters are attached, since it overlies them. This implies that the weight of the timbers for the window is transferred to the queen posts, and thus to the principal joists.
The purlin supporting the common rafters shows signs of re-use, as does the purlin on the east side. Six empty mortises are apparent, and the rafters fixed to it are spaced irregularly. Nine of these terminate at the purlin, while a tenth, which spans the height of the roof, lies outside the bay.
Between F and E, a short length of purlin spans the bay. This may be re-used since there are two empty nail-holes, but it is possible that these are locations where nails have fallen from the structure since it was built. The purlin is supported by two braces, one on either side, leading from the principal rafters towards the centre of the purlin. These are pegged at either end by two treenails, and are clearly mortise and tenon joints. Six common rafters support the roof here, attached to both the wall plate and the purlin. The wall plate here is rather irregular, and extra support has been required to affix the rafters to it, with short batons nailed to the bottoms of the rafters, wedging onto the wall plate.
The rest of the western side between A and E were largely obscured by plaster and a ceiling at purlin height. Details of the timberwork around the other two windows and the roof space were not possible to see.
The bay between D and E features a window, but only the sill below it was visible. The purlin above is a re-used piece, with four empty mortises apparent.
Between C and D, the principal rafters both have braces rising towards the centre of the purlin each is attached with two treenails at either end securing the mortise and tenon joint (Joint 20). The purlin itself does not appear to be reused. The locations of common rafters over the purlin were suggested by visible treenails. A section of lower purlin with a square profile runs between the two principal joists. This lower purlin does not continue beyond this bay, there being windows to either side.
As at the northern end of the room, the space between A and C can be considered as a whole, as there are no structural supports at B save a collar beam. The purlin which runs across the window space is supported by an extra brace, pegged with two treenails (as Joint 20). The purlin exhibits no signs of reuse.
Between the subsidiary support J and principal A, no detail was apparent due to an extant cupboard that was not removed during the recording action.
8.6.1.16 Detail at Purlin Height (Figure 44)
There are butt purlins between each principal rafter of both sides of the attic. There are also collar beams tying each pair of principal rafters, their exact jointing being unclear without dismantlement. There are additional beams which are spaced at irregular intervals along the roof space; between C and D, in the centre of the attic by the door to the spiral staircase, on the northern side of the bay leading to the central range, and one between G and M.
Most of the purlins seem to be reused, but it is also possible that the empty mortises and peg-holes represent incorrect preparation of the timbers in the initial build.
8.6.2 The Attic Central Range (Figures 26 and 27a)
A small area of the attic central range was examined where floorboards were raised to facilitate the insertion of a fire-proof screen. A substantial internal wall was recorded running north-south that may be considered a continuation of the main, east wall of the west wing, constructed of brick and lime mortar consistent with the 16th century fabric of the building. A principal joist is set into the top of the wall, spanning the distance from the spiral staircase in the south to the front wall of the Manor, excluding the small room above the porch area. Common joists measuring 0.06m by 0.375m run east-west from this at intervals of 0.38m, and are attached to the principal joist with double tenons, pegged with treenails (Joint 4).
8.6.3 Attic Room above the Porch (Figures 26 and 27a)
This small room, like the room below it, is not built consistently with the rest of the Manor. The five floor joists are short, running north-south, only spanning this room, and are set into the brickwork of the porch and the main front wall. They are of a different profile to the other joists too, being 0.20m wide and 0.16m deep, with a rectangular profile.
9) CONCLUSIONS
9.1) Ground Floor (Figures 45-48)
The probable changes to the floor levels are described at the end of the section detailing the excavations in the house, but to resummarise here, early floors were encountered between 0.28-0.35m below the 2002 floor levels, specifically in the Porch, the Old Pantry, and the Store. The Store and Old Pantry floors were in poor, fragmentary condition, and were composed of brick and stone pieces. The Porch floor remnant was little more than a skim of mortar, which may have supported tiles. It could not be determined whether these floors were original to the building or whether they were later modifications. At latest, they date to the early 19th century. It is suspected that the Entrance Hall and the Kitchen Passage have also been raised, but there were insufficient floorboards lifted to determine whether this was the case. The whole of the ground floor of the West Wing was raised in the mid 19th-century to the level of the Old Buttery, except for the Old Kitchen.
Excavations undertaken in 1994 by Newham Museum Service showed that alterations to the ground floor of the East Wing of Eastbury Manor were also undertaken during the 19th century and probably in the early 20th century. Excavations within Area 2, within the Dining Room at the north end of the East Wing, found that the earliest surface was a 'dirt floor' and this remained unexcavated. The earliest floor was of brick and dated to some time between the late 18th to the early 20th century. The floor was repaired in the mid 19th century following an episode of pit-digging.
It seems unlikely that the repairs to the floors in the East and West Wings are contemporary with one another, since the West Wing floors incorporated a coin from 1912 and bottle fragments of a similar date; the report from the 1994 excavations suggests that brick repairs in the East Wing were carried out in the 19th century and concrete was laid down in the 20th century. Earlier floors located in the areas of archaeological excavation proved to date from the late 18th or early 19th century and were not original to the building. Thus the original form of the floors on the ground floor is unknown, but it is likely that these were either earthen or timber joists and planks and as no slots for joists were apparent in the brickwork at any point during the watching brief, the former is most likely.
Beneath the floorboards of the Kitchen Passage, a short length of wall foundation was recorded; the 1834 plan of the house (Figure 45) shows that this was part of the access to the Western Tower. This was only 0.25m below the current floor level, but the floor void was comprehensively packed with soil (sandy silt) so any remnant of a potential early floor was not seen. The foundation indicates the veracity of the 1834 plan, and other alterations undertaken throughout the 19th century were evident in the layout of the ground floor.
The Old Kitchen floor had not been raised, but the joists and trimmers therein are thought possibly to be replacements rather than original material, since the timber quality is low in comparison to the rest of the timbers of the West Wing observed during the watching brief.
The major changes to the layout of the ground floor have been reversed by the recent programme of work, and there have been further modifications. Examination of the original fabric and later walls has determined that the Old Kitchen was partitioned in the mid 19th century, creating a room called the Store. The Pantry, north of the Old Kitchen, was enlarged by relocating its east wall eastwards by 1.15m. Between the two rooms was a doorway; this was blocked, and access from the Old Kitchen to the front of the house was via a new doorway cut through the entrance passage to the Western Tower. The foundations of this passage were observed during the watching brief.
The serving hatch between the Old Kitchen and the Pantry was made effectively redundant by the creation of the Store. The hatch opens north into the Pantry, and it may be imagined that food prepared in the Old Kitchen was laid out on the hatch for distribution to the Hall or private chambers. When the Store was created, a new brick floor was laid within it and within the Pantry.
The redundancy of the serving hatch caused by the 19th century repairs and additions is indicative of the use to which Eastbury Manor was put at this time, being accommodation for farm workers rather than the seat of a wealthy merchant as it had been in the 16th century. Since much of the Manor was converted for use as stables, a granary store and a coach house, the need for a large kitchen and serving area had gone. The rooms of the East Wing were still being used, although for what function is unknown. Clues to their use are shown on the 1834 Restored Plan (Figure 45), which offers 'Butler's Room' for the Old Buttery and 'Servants Room' for the Panelled Room.
The plan of 1871-2 (RIBA) (Figure 46) entitles the ground floor rooms as it is thought they were originally used. This indicates that the ground floor of the West Wing was the service wing, the Old Buttery being the 'Pantry', the Old Pantry being the 'Buttery', while the Panelled Room is called the 'Steward's Room'. The east wing contained parlours, and the front of the house the Great Hall. The watching brief on the building found no evidence to doubt this interpretation.
9.2) First Floor (Figures 49-51)
The conservation plan for the house (2000) interprets the first floor of the West Wing as housing private chambers, with the owner's room (Clement Sisley) in the Southwest Chamber with a partitioned room beyond and easy access to the Garderobe.
The Southwest Chamber measures 6.12m east-west by 5.31m north-south, and is slightly smaller than the Northwest Chamber, but by virtue of having the 'New Store' adjacent and accessible, more space is available, perhaps as a dressing room or personal storage. This room at the southern end of the West Wing was once partitioned north-south on its western side, for a scar was apparent in the ceiling laths, which were felt to be original. This partition would have made a room 3m by 2m, a good size for a cupboard, and there is a partition shown on the 1834 Plan (Figure 49) in the same position. This partition does not relate to the more recent division of the room into toilet cubicles. On the east side of the southern end of the West Wing, another partition still stands, forming a short passage which accesses the Garderobe. A room was therefore formed in the centre of the southern end of the West Wing, with the window dominating the south wall. This window at first appeared to be part blocked, but examination of the masonry showed that the apparent blocking was probably original to the building. The blocking looks irregular, but this is due to the use of bricks on their edges, and this creates a low shelf 0.30m deep that resembles a window seat. This window would have given views of the estate, although they would not have been as impressive as the view from the Towers.
The Northwest Chamber was, it is suggested, also a private apartment. It is a heated room (it has a fireplace), and once had two rooms leading off of it. One, to the south, is now known as 'The Male WC', and the wall between exhibited a blocked doorway. The room is of similar dimensions to the partitioned room at the south end of the Wing. This is not shown on the 1834 plan (Figure 49), so may be considered earlier than this date. There was also access to the Kitchen over the Porch. This has now been blocked, but seems to have historically been part of this northern 'suite' of rooms, and had a door, the jambs of which had been removed prior to this Watching Brief. The 'secret chamber' referred to by all modern commentators on the Manor did not reveal any of its secrets during this work, since very few floorboards were lifted, making access impossible, but it is understood to be a space above the Porch and below the first floor kitchen. The floor of the northwest chamber had undergone severe repair: The principal joist across the centre of the room is either partially replaced, the new element slotted in and scarf-jointed, or the entire beam is a replacement. The iron girders which flank this joist necessitated shortening of the common joists, to slot into the I-section beam. The northern most principal has also been repaired, with a short trimmer being bolted on to give extra support to the common joists on the eastern side. Necessary repairs to the northern end are also seen in the attic space.
The hall between the Northwest and Southwest Chambers was one of only two areas on the First Floor where original floorboards survived. They were pegged directly to the common joists, but showed no signs of secondary boarding above, so may be the finished floor level. The principal joists would have then been visible, suggesting that some kind of floor covering was employed. The function of the room now known as the Female WC is unclear; there was no evidence of fittings or fixtures suggesting a previous use, but may have been suitable for guests, children, or simply for storage.
The doorway from the hall to the staircase landing is larger than its original form. The northern jamb was removed; the doorway was doubled in width, and an arched surround put in place, constructed from little more than studwork. It appears to provide very little support for the masonry above; the remainder of the brick wall carries the westernmost principal of the Central Range. This probable weak point must have sufficient support, since it has not collapsed, however, the floor of the Central Range above the arched doorway does slope noticeably.
9.3 The Attic Range (Figures 52-54)
Recording of structural timbers in the Attic Range revealed that all the main timbers are original to the 16th century build; the paired rafters, queen posts, purlins, struts and braces all appear to have not been replaced. Few of the timbers had visible carpenter's marks, but those that were observed were very clear. More recent timbers were only present as repairs, and there have been four types of repair required.
A queen post at B-B that exhibits carpenter's marks was noted and these were five oblique lines scored through horizontally by a sixth. This may correspond to a carpenter's numbering system; it is at the sixth principal joist southwards, if that within the north end is not counted. However, another mark of five oblique lines struck through by a sixth at a brace on the east side between G and H suggests that there is no overall scheme of numbering or marking.
The majority of the marks were seen on the timbers of the northern wall of the Attic West Wing. These are typified by one, two, or three lines scored into both timbers of a joint. The need for these carpenter's marks at the northern end rather than the south may be explained by one of three reasons; either, most other timbers are marked within the joints, the marks therefore hidden by assembly; or that the northern end was a particularly complex build compared to the rest of the attic, or that the northern end was built first as an example for assembly of the other major elements.
The graffiti 'H E' does not equate to the initials of any known owners of the property: the significance of these initials is lost.
A repair to the principal joist at the northern end of the West Wing is the most major repair in the Attic of the West Wing. All seventeen common joists doubled tenoned into the principal have been cut to accommodate a beam that spans the width of the attic, and bolted to the principal. The need for this repair was the departure of the common joists from their mortises, although it is unknown why the pegs did not hold them in place. The departure of the joists is caused either by shrinkage and warping of the common joists, or a slight movement of the northern wall.
A similar repair has been undertaken at the south end of the west wing, where a short length of trimmer has been added to the east side, supporting four common joists. The remaining thirteen joists have departed their mortises, and have very little supporting them, other than principal joist B, where the other ends are fixed.
Other repairs have been undertaken, presumably to consolidate joints. A regular repair in the attic is the use of an iron band or a clasp to hold together joints involving the short horizontal beams between the principal rafters and the queen posts. This is seen, with variations, at nine locations out of twelve.
Some of the common rafters had also had repairs, seemingly because of rot on the lower ends; battens have been added between the rafters and the lower purlins towards the north end. At two locations there are battens between common rafters, these do not seem very sturdy, and would be of limited effect in securing any timbers.
There was no evidence of partitioning in the Attic, beyond those modern partitions removed during the watching brief. It is suggested in the Conservation Plan (2000) that the Attic would have been used for servant accommodation, but there was no evidence to suggest any division of the space. The 1834 plan (figure 52) indicates some divisions, but without doorways, it is unclear what the divisions are:-they are probably cupboard space.
The windows at the ends and the west side of the West Wing Attic are large and let in a lot of light. The queen posts within are deliberately arranged so as not to block the window spaces, and this may be indicative of the room's use as a single open space, like the Central Range. If this was servant accommodation, it would be well appointed, being both spacious and light. It is possible that the servant's quarters were in this space, behind partitions in the 3m by 1m spaces between the queen posts, but the use of the rest of the space is unexplained.
The south end of the Attic is plastered above purlin height, boxing in the south end of the upper attic area; a window in the southern wall indicates that this has always been accessible, and was most likely for storage of some kind. It was not available for examination during the watching brief, since there were no alterations.
The Central Range was only examined at its western end, due to the insertion of an under floor fire screen. In the limited areas seen, construction of this part of the roof space was identical to that of the West Wing.
9.4 General, the Fabric of Eastbury Manor
The masonry of Eastbury Manor is in good condition when considering the internal and external walls. The areas most heavily eroded are the Garderobe Tower and the windows. In the Garderobe, the roof had collapsed, the decorative brickwork around the roof was missing, and a large crack was beginning to separate the Garderobe Tower from the rest of the Manor. The windows have mullions, transoms, sills and lintels all composed of specially shaped bricks that were plastered and later rendered to make them resemble stone. This had not protected the shaped bricks, and many were severely eroded.
Measurements taken on the spacing of the timbers of Eastbury Manor reveal a surprising regularity. Each of the principal joists on the First and Attic floors of the West Wing are spaced at regular intervals of 3.12m, and are commonly 0.36m square. The common joists are each 0.05m by 0.36m by 2.72m. This converts to imperial measurements of intervals of 10'3" for the principal joists, each 14" square, the common joists 2" by 14" by 8' 11". The queen posts in the attic and the principal paired rafters each have profiles 0.20m (8") square.
The windows of Eastbury Manor are notably regular; the Ground floor windows are the tallest of all, and the First and Attic floor windows are all of a size, except for the dormer window on the southeast corner of the Attic.
10 Bibliography
AOC Archaeology Group (2002): 'Eastbury Manor, Barking, Essex. Archaeological Recording, Written Scheme of Investigation.'
National Trust (2002): 'Brief for archaeological excavations and recording to be undertaken during alterations at Eastbury Manor, Barking, Essex.'
Marshall, G (August 2001): 'The National Trust, Eastbury Manor, Barking and Dagenham, excavations and watching brief undertaken in 2001.'
Richard Griffiths Architects 2000: 'Eastbury Manor House, Barking. Outline Conservation Plan for the House.'
Newham Museum Service (1994): 'Report on watching brief at Eastbury House Barking.'
EASTBURY MANOR HOUSE, BARKING
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(c) AOC ARCHAEOLOGY GROUP - MARCH 2004