The Old Farmhouse, Village Farm

THE OLD FARMHOUSE, VILLAGE FARM, ACTON

House and attached service building, formerly two dwellings. Mid-18th century, incorporating earlier fabric, enlarged and remodelled in the early 19th century, further altered in the 20th century. At the time of inspection in June 2002, the building was empty.

Red brick with cut brick decoration, ridge and gable brick stacks, and a plain tile roof. The plan forms an L-shaped range marking the northern boundary of the farmyard. The western range is three-and-a-half bays with a three-storey section aligned east-west, and a two-storey bay to the east end forming a link with a three-bay two-storey part aligned north-south.

The western range of three-and-a-half bays has a two-storey link with a single-storey lean-to, now partly demolished, extending across the east bay of the taller range. The lower openings have segmental arched brick heads; the upper floor openings have flat heads and three-light casement frames, one with leaded cames and the other with glazing bars. Other openings retain fragments of similar joinery. A complex decorative brick eaves cornice runs along the elevation. An arch-headed doorway to the west end bay contains a plank door; a plain central doorway and an east end doorway give access to both the two-storey and three-storey parts. The rear wall has openings to ground and first floors, mostly blocked, and a rear doorway to the west bay. The two-storey bay to the east has its ground floor enclosed within a 19th-century lean-to, with a single two-light casement with glazing bars above.

The eastern range of three bays has an east-facing front with a doorway to the centre bay containing a four-panel door, and stacked three-light casements with glazing bars to each bay. The ground floor openings sit below arched heads. The upper floor openings have flat heads below a dentilled brick eaves.

The interior of the three-storey part features a contemporary roof structure comprised of three pegged oak king post trusses with primary and secondary struts supporting two tiers of trenched purlins. Trusses 1 and 3 are infilled and plastered and have seatings for nailed studs which survive with brick infill at the east end. The upper floor has no ceilings and is open to the roof. The first floor has numerous closely-spaced tie beams and inserted plank partitions. The ground floor rooms each have paired ceiling beams aligned east-west with exposed joists. The half bay to the west has an inserted bead oven with domed oven chamber. At the junction of the three-storey and two-storey parts are back-to-back hearths, that to the east with a cast-iron 19th-century range. The three-storey part has off-centre back-to-back hearths, that to the centre bay with a deeply moulded and chamfered hearth beam. Ground floor rooms each have paired ceiling beams, some with complex 16th or 17th-century chamfer stops. The upper floor partition wall to the north bay has exposed timber-framing.

The three-storey part is believed to have ceased to be used as a dwelling house around 1820.

This evolved farmstead range comprises two interconnected former dwellings, now forming a single complex of house and attached service range. The latter, a mid-18th-century dwelling, was possibly adapted for multiple occupation by farm workers. The former retains elements of an earlier timber-framed dwelling. The complex retains interior fabric and fittings which relate to both its chronological and functional evolution.