BROADWATER HUNDRED 



the first-floor level, lighting the spaces between the 

 projecting chimney breasts inside the rooms and the 

 flank walls. The projecting staircase wings at the 

 back are carried up to the same height as the main 

 walls, and between them are two groups of chimneys 

 similar to those already described, one having three 

 shafts, the other four. 



The main entrance is in the centre of the north 

 front, and has a moulded square-headed doorway, with 

 a massive oak moulded door frame, and iron-studded 

 door. The front windows are recessed in moulded 

 brickwork. The ground-floor windows have square 

 brick heads, having a very slight camber ; but, as the 

 bricks are not radiated to a centre, the weight seems 

 to be taken by the stout oak window frame and 

 mul lions. The upper floor windows have flat 

 arches with properly radiating joints, pointing 

 probably to a somewhat later date. 



Internally the building has a ground floor, with 

 basement under, an upper floor and one long apart- 

 ment in the roof. A chapel which stood at the east 

 end of the building was 

 pulled down many years 

 ago. The hall would 

 measure about 36 ft. by 

 25 ft., having a large four- 

 centred arched fireplace 8 ft. 

 wide in the centre of the 

 south wall. Beside the fire- 

 place is a doorway leadi 



ASTON 



notice. It is almost wholly in the roof and is a long 

 apartment running the full length of the building. It 

 measures 108 ft. long by 17 ft. wide. It is lighted at 

 each end by a large mullioned window in the gable, and 

 has besides four windows on the north front set in the 

 curved brick gables before described. These windows 

 are deeply recessed from the room. On the south 

 side of the apartment are two built-up fireplaces with 

 moulded and stopped jambs, the inner moulding being 

 carried over the opening with a flat four-centred arch, 

 the outer moulding running square over it. It U 

 almost identical with the fireplaces at Mackerye End, 

 Hammond's Farm, Pirton, and other old houses in 

 the county. The ceiling of this apartment is of 

 plaster, almost semicircular, and a moulded cornice of 

 oak, presumably the roof purlin, is carried the whole 

 length of each side at the springing level of the arch. 

 Advantage has been taken of the slope of the roof to 

 form a series of cupboards on the south side, entered 

 from the window recesses. Access is gained to the room 

 by short passages from both east and west staircases. 



d thee 



F.lrt 



of the hall is another large 

 apartment. The hall and 

 the room to the east take 

 up the eastern half of the 

 building, and the western 

 half contains a panelled 

 room with a large open fire- 

 place and the original kitchen 

 with an old iron-studded 

 door. The doorway near 

 the west end of the north 

 front is modern, and 

 occupies the position of a 

 built-up window ; the porch 

 is made up of old wood- 

 work. 



The doorway between the hall and the east stair- 

 case has a wooden frame with moulded capitals and 

 bases, over which is a four-centred arch with carved 

 spandrels, the carving being of the usual flat 16th- 

 century type. In two of the spandrels, however, are 

 shields of arms ; on the east side are the arms of the 

 Botelers and on the west side are the arms of Drury 

 (Argent on a chief vert a tau cross between two 

 molets or). These arms also appear on a brass in 

 Watton Church. Sir Philip Boteler of Woodhall 

 married Elizabeth daughter of Sir Robert Drury, kt., 

 of Halstead, and, as is shown in the descent of the 

 manor, acquired Aston in 154.0 and died in 1545. 



The basement cellars are not of much interest ; 

 they are only partly below ground and have had 

 windows on both the north and south sides. The 

 massive timbers of the ground floor may be seen, as 

 there is no vaulting or ceiling. 



There are a few original partitions on the first floor, 

 into which some 16th-century panelling has been in- 

 troduced. But the room in the attic story is worthy of 



c Gallery 



The two fine oak staircases are the principal internal 

 features of the house, that on the east, which is entered 

 directly from the hall, being the richer of the two. In 

 each case there are straight flights of steps on three 

 sides of the staircase, with landings at the angles, the 

 fourth side having landings at each floor. Both s'tairs 

 rise from the ground floor to the attics, and the east 

 stair is continued down to the basement, 



The parish lies on a subsoil of chalk. There are 

 three chalk-pits in the north of the parish. The 

 nearest railway station is Knebworth, on the Great 

 Northern main line, about three miles to the south- 



The inclosure award, made in 1858, is in the 

 custody of the clerk of the peace.' 



Previous to the Norman Conquest the 

 of JSTON was held by three of 

 a of Stigand Archbishop of Can- 

 mes are not known. After the 



MANOR 



the 

 terbury, whose 



» Blut Bk, Inch J. 





