Clavering is full of beautiful timber-framed buildings, at least 88 of them listed for their historical importance. These houses can be read like a book, once you know the signs to look for – particular joints, empty mortices, gaps between studs and the relationship between features. There are many other little clues that bring the past to life, such as carpenters’ marks used to help them assemble the beams in the right order; taper burns from the use of lights; and anti-witch markings, which he spotted in several houses, in the form of M, AM and VV symbols round the fireplace, or as circular protectives, such as those found on the pillars of Clavering Church.

By far the most prominent house here is The Bury, a rare medieval aisled hall of national significance, precisely dated by dendrochronology to 1304.

The next oldest houses include a cluster of three early 15th century properties in Middle Street, including two of Wealden type, The Wheelhouse and The Old Post House, which is slightly later, and Bakers – this house was once joined to the one next door, Tudor Cottage, rebuilt in the mid-16th century. Parts of three farmhouses – Place, Brooklands and Curles – also date to the 15th century, with much later change of course.

Most of the old houses were rebuilt on medieval sites, and there was a great deal of rebuilding in the 16th and 17th centuries, reflecting the increasing status of owners or tenants. Just as today, those who were doing well spent their money improving their homes, offering more privacy and comfort. Everyone wanted staircases, fireplaces and glazed windows.

Danceys, also in Middle Street, has features that suggest it was built c.1500 or earlier. This makes it older even that The Guildhall in Church End, which was once the meeting place of religious guilds. Church End House, it has recently been discovered, is almost contemporary with the Guildhall, a jettied service crosswing of an early house. Most of these old houses, of course have altered considerably over time – this is true of Piercewebbs, which is substantially rebuilt but still possesses one 16th century room.

Unlike these houses, and others such as Thurrocks and Valance which were rebuilt in both 16th and 17th centuries, The Druce is very little altered since its first rebuild and has even kept the name of its 14th century owner, John Dru. Other 16th century houses include Yew Tree Farm and Chamberlaynes, while nearby Ford End House was slightly later, and had a major rebuilding in the 18th century too. Another interesting old farmhouse is Home Farm, but there are so many other lovely houses here, they would fill a book – Ponds, The Old House, Butts Green Farm. Some even keep the same names for centuries. Deers, Ponds, Valence and Danceys are all houses that today have the same names they had in 1537, when John Thake left them in his will.

There are also still a few aisled barns that have not succumbed to the fashion for barn conversions, and at least two can be dated to c.1400, while others are 17th century. There are many more 17th and 18th century timber-framed houses in the catalogue of listed buildings, and how grateful we must be to those skilful carpenters of the past who helped to make Clavering the beautiful village it is today.

Jacqueline Cooper
(with thanks to Leigh Alston for his analysis of some of Clavering houses).