Little Chilton Farmhouse, And Mounting Block Attached

NZ 23 SE FERRYHILL A167 (East side off) Little Chilton

6/20 Little Chilton Farmhouse, and mounting block attached II*

House, possibly originally manor house; adjacent to deserted medieval village. Probably C14 with late medieval and C19 alterations and additions. Pebble- dashed render with painted ashlar dressings; Welsh slate roof with other overlapping stone gable copings. Cross-passage T-plan with second C19 rear wing on left return.

2 storeys, 5 windows. 2-storey, one-bay wing on left return; lower 2-storey, one-bay wing to left of passage. One,-storey, one-bay right extension. 3-window left section symmetrical, with central 6-panel door and small overlight in simple pedimented surround with Tuscan pilasters; flanking double sashes have wedge stone lintels and projecting thin sills; similar sills to 4-pane sash over door and double sashes in flanking bays. 2-centred arched doorway, to right of these, contains 4-panel door and shaped overlight; double sashes in bay to right are similar to those in left part of house; C20 fixed light over door with opening transom. Roof steeply-pitched, with ridge chimneys at ends and to left of pointed door. 3 small flat skylights.

Earlier rear wing has sash in rear gable, with render above cracked in lancet shape; eaves of this wing raised at return to third bay; chimney mid-slope on other side of roof. Later rear wing has rear stone-coped gable and end chimney.

Interior shows corbelled head to pointed-arched doorway, and cross-passage from the latter to added longitudinal rear passage. Wall at right of cross passage, said by occupier to have concealed sharp set-back at head level, curves away from door. Left wall interrupted by large cupboard containing C18 coat-pegs, and triangular-section blocks, probably remains of stair. Wide beams, stop-chamfered joists; 6-panel doors in bolection- moulded surround. Room to left of this wall shows massive fire-beam to stone chimney set against passage wall; similar beam, altered, to left end room fireplace. Renewed stair in rear outshut against earlier rear wing; C19 stair in second rear wing. Position of original stair not clear, but perhaps represented by half-arched curve over cross passage to rear of chimney. Right gable wall c.1½ metres thick,with modern lavatory at first-floor level contained within it; other walls c.0.8 metre thick.

Roof: 2 pegged kerb principal trusses with 2 levels of trenched purlins; the upper on protruding collar ends; short king posts with longitudinal bracing removed; renewed ridge, the former ridge having rested on cut at side of jowls. Some c.0.3 metre-wide floorboards; small door-frame in partition between parts to right and left of intermediate chimney evidence of partitions. Carpenters' marks are long, indented Roman numbers.

Earlier rear wing, only partly inspected, shows arched tie-beams in upper room.

Source: R. Surtees, History of Co. Durham, III, 1823, p.287.

Listing NGR: NZ2950231436