Kersey

Pevsner starts the entry for Kersey in the second edition as follows: "Kersey is the most picturesque village in South Suffolk. The view from the church over the tiled roofs of the houses dipping down to the ford of the river Brett and climbing up the other side is not easily forgotten. The church lies on its own at the S end of the village, which is just one long street with an extension by the stream." So here is that view:

The village is described after the church at one end of the street and the fragment of a priory at the other. The buildings selected in the third edition are to some extent different to the second but this site goes with Pevsner's original which for the village he started as "From the church down Church Hill past Woodbine Cottage, a picturesque timber-framed house of before the Reformation. Some of the doorways are original." This cottage does not appear in the third edition and I am not sure that the cottage of that name today is the one described so I show the group of three here:

Pevsner continues: By the river, River House, timber-framed, with its surprising Early Elizabethan brick porch. This has angle pilasters with circular and semicircular panels à la vénitienne, a round-headed doorway with broad pediment, a transomed three-light window over, also with broad pediment, and a semicircular top with pinnacles l. and r." Seen here:

"Then a look into the street called The Green. Note especially Greenan Cottage, a picturesque corner house." Which I think is this one:

"Back to the river and over the bridge. Then The Street runs up steeply with many handsome houses l. and r., e.g. Denbigh House at the start on the l. with two long projecting wings, c1500 and 1654, the Bell Inn, much restored, and Nos 5 and 6 with overhang and traces of chevron pargetting." Here is the view of the river and ford with the Bell Inn beyond:

The Bell Inn again and Nos 5 and 6:

Pevsner then continues: "Unfortunately the continuity of the old houses is interrupted by bald patches more than once. The climax is the upper end, with timber-framed house opposite the Post Office, the two gabled house opposite the White Horse Inn, which has two bay windows on heavy moulded brick plinths and diaper patterning in the gables, and the Corner House on the other side, with a blocked original doorway." The Post Office and White Horse Inn are no more, but the buildings remain, as seen here: