Coves House Farmhouse

WOLSINGHAM A689 NZ 03 NE (South side, off) 22/327 Coves House Farmhouse II*

Farmhouse. Late medieval with additions of c.1600, and C18 and later restoration. Rubble with patches of thin render; boulder plinth; some quoins; roofs of stone flags and pantiles. T-plan. 3 builds: central 2-storey, 2-bay part; left addition of 2 storeys, 5 bays, (but 4 windows only)with rear wing of 2 lower storeys; right addition of 2 storeys, 5 bays; 11 bays in all, stepped down from left to right to accommodate slope of site.

Oldest build: boarded door at left in flat-Tudor-arched stone surround, with possible inscription above obscured by vegetation; wide C20 window at right under stone lintel; small square-renewed casements in chamfered stone surrounds, with central mullions removed, on first floor. Stone roof and massive right external stack with many offsets.

Left-part: Late C19 sashes, renewed on ground floor under renewed stone lintels; some jambs of-previous windows; stone roof and end chimneys. Left gable has massive external stack with offsets.

Right part: probably originally byre and loft; stone surround with shallow round head scooped out of flat lintel to door in fourth bay; side stone steps to first-floor door in third bay; other windows renewed, with flat stone lintels and projecting stone sills; vent slit above at right. Rear has blocked stone- mullioned lights, one with iron bar, on 4-window part;and the rear wing of that build has massive rear gable stack with offsets flanked by blocked triangular windows in gable peak.

Interior: central part has step down to kitchen with moulded stone segmental fire arch and low-2-centred arch containing plank door with ornamental strap hinges; low corbelled bread oven of pinkish-yellow bricks; tongue-stopped chamfers on mouldings. Similar treatment to stone door surround to rear side stair with solid wood block first tread, plain thick plank treads above. Left part shows 5 bays, with quirk-stopped chamfered beams not respected by later windows; heck-post and fire beam, and screen with round-headed doorway. Tudor- arched chamfered stone surround to Dutch cellar door in rear wing; door has bracketed centre shelf; battened planks and strap hinges on pins. Entrance hall leads to L-plan cut-string stair in rear wing, with fat stick balusters; wide grip handrail, and chamfered square newels with ball finials.

Listing NGR: NZ0531136312