List of Sites of Special Interest
Hamptonne, La Rue de la Patente, St Lawrence
The assessment and recommendation within this report are made in accordance with Article 51 of the Planning and Building (Jersey) Law, 2002; Policy G11 of the Jersey Island Plan, 2002; and criteria for the identification and designation of historic buildings in SPG Practice Note 9, 2008. The report includes the views and advice offered by the Ministerial Registration and Listing Advisory Group.
Author of report: Kevin Pilley
Date of report: 7th December 2009
File ref: LA0123
Current status
pSSI.
Relevant interests of the site (see schedule for more detail)
Hamptonne is of the greatest importance to the history and architecture of the Jersey farm, the complex of buildings illustrating the evolution of a Jersey farm from the 15th century to the 19th century - a building first recorded on the site in 1445. The property was purchased by Laurens Hamptonne in the 17th century. Laurens Hamptonne was the first to proclaim Charles II as King, in the Royal Square in St. Helier in February 1649, and Charles II rewarded Hamptonne by raising the raising the status of the property to a fief.
Hamptonne comprises three houses - named after the former family owners Hamptonne, Langlois and Syvret - subsidiary working farm buildings set around two courtyards, a square colombier, associated landscaped gardens, fields, orchard and woodland.
Hamptonne House is a rare surviving example of an early Jersey farmhouse - interpretations of its original date varying between c.1400 and the late 15th century. It has one of only two complete king-post roofs in Jersey, indicating that originally it was an open hall. When the first floor was added, access was provided by building a tourelle on to the back of the house. During the 17th century a Dower Wing was built, a porch added and oak panelling and moulded ceilings introduced. Hamptonne House is now of rectangular plan, 2-storey, with 5 irregular bays. There are granite exterior walls with volieres a pigeons to the front façade. The stone arch over the front door has double voussoirs and the chamfer stop on the left has a Fleur de Lys. The three arch stones have moulded beading, but the upright portions have a plain chamfer. To the front of the doorway is a rare 17th century porch with pillars bearing the Hamptonne Arms, a 1640 ex situ sundial, and a reconstructed roof of Normandy slate. There are many internal features of interest including three medieval fireplaces.
To the front of Hamptonne House is the main south courtyard, with an impressive double entrance arch to the roadside - one of only two examples in Jersey bearing a date before the Civil War.
Facing the south side of the courtyard is the Langlois building, a single-storey range of farm buildings with a two-storey block at the west end believed to be an upper hall house, the first floor accessed by an unenclosed external stone staircase. This style of architecture was common in medieval Brittany. The arched doorway is of late 15th early 16th century appearance and is unusual, with an eleven-stone arch (the average in Jersey being nine). The fireplace in the main room is of notable design with projecting jambs and large acanthus leaf chamfer stops.
Alongside La Rue de la Patente is a range of buildings known as Syvret House - comprising a house dated at about 1833 and an adjoining pressoir (cider barn) built in 1834. The rooms are unusually tall and grand for a Jersey farmhouse and are more typical of the townhouses built in St. Helier at this time. The pressoir contains an apple crusher and a wooden twin-screw apple press.
Integral to the interest and character of the farmstead are a number of outbuildings and associated gardens and grounds. On the north side of the upper courtyard are outbuildings added by the Syvrets in the 19th century including stables, a carriage house, bake house, washhouse and open shed. There is also a detached granite pigsty added to the south of the Langlois House. Charles II gave permission for Laurens Hamptonne to rebuild the colombier to the south of the main farmstead and this was completed in 1674. This is one of only two square colombiers on the island, the other being at La Haule Manor.
The site is of archaeological interest given the long and complex structural history from various periods of rebuild and extension.
Advice offered by MRLAG (and others if stated)
The site was visited and assessed (in consultation with Jersey Heritage and Mr Peter Bisson of the Société Jersiaise) by historic building architects at Conservation Architecture & Planning, who were commissioned by Jersey Heritage and the Planning and Environment Department in 2008 to provide an appraisal of manor houses in the Island. CAP recognised that Hamptonne is a property of historical, architectural and archaeological significance - as set out in the attached assessment form.
MRLAG discussed the site at its meeting on 14th September 2009. C Alluto, J Clarke, J Carter, O Finch and R Hills declared an interest and took no part in discussions.
Members were unanimous that Hamptonne should be listed as an SSI for its architectural and historical interest as detailed in the report. As the site has a long and complex structural history from various periods of rebuild and extension, it was further agreed that the SSI should include archaeological interest applying to the fabric of the standing pre-1800 structures. Members advised that the boundary should include the farmstead, fields 323 and 324 to the east of the farmstead, the pond to the south, and the colombier.
Justification relating to criteria
The listing of Hamptonne as an SSI is in accordance with Planning and Building (Jersey) Law 2002 which defines Sites of Special Interest as buildings and places of ‘public importance’, having ‘special archaeological, architectural, artistic, historical, scientific or traditional interest’.
The listing of Hamptonne as an SSI is in accordance with the existing criteria for assessment and designation of historic buildings, in particular:
· The special interest of the property extends substantially to its authentic fabric, plan form, interior features, and historical associations;
· The pre-1800 structures are of archaeological interest as the fabric of the buildings and the land beneath and around them contain, or can be expected to contain, unique and valuable evidence about the site’s development, and the culture which produced it, which can be understood through systematic investigation;
· The buildings are of special interest for their architectural design, craftsmanship, composition, and use of materials and details in the vernacular tradition - the architectural interest is enhanced by the contribution of the buildings to a larger group;
· The interiors are of architectural interest and they include the survival of major elements from before 1840;
· The property is of historical interest as it illustrates significant aspects of Jersey’s social and cultural history, and has documented historical associations with significant people.
Attachments
Conservation Architecture & Planning report 2008
SSI schedule and plan