Castle Farm

Farmhouse, C16, with C16 and later additions and modifications of stone, timber and brick.

PLAN: The building is of five bays with a single room outshot to the rear. The two northernmost bays are slightly longer than the southernmost three. A second staircase has been inserted at the southern end of the building (under a catslide roof). The building has been subdivided, with the two southernmost bays forming a separate dwelling. A number of partitions have been inserted to create corridors, toilets and separate bedrooms. There is a small, single-storey structure attached to the north-west corner of the building.

EXTERIOR: The principal (west) elevation comprises a sandstone ground floor with a brick first floor above. Quoins, doorcases and ground floor windows are in stone, while upper floor windows have concrete lintels and cills and brick reveals. The north elevation is of stone with brick gables and a brick chimney stack. The east elevation is of brick on a sandstone plinth. There is a large stone and brick chimney stack and a brick outshot. The south elevation is of brick on a sandstone plinth. Fenestration is mixed, with two large square four light stone windows and a two light stone mullioned window on the ground floor of the west elevation and a mixture of timber and iron sash and top-hung casements elsewhere. The roof is tiled.

INTERIOR: The floor frame for the first floor of the house is exposed in the northernmost dwelling. The principal room contains a large chamfered binder holding square cut joists and a chamfered double tie beam. The fireplace is a small, sandstone-quoined opening in a much larger chimney breast. A number of joists are visible in the northernmost bay, running perpendicular to the joists in the principal room. The joists are chamfered, with plain stops.

The roof structure is exposed within the attic space. The roof trusses comprise a king post with raking struts. The second truss from the north contains diagonal studding, indicating that this was once the external wall of the building. The second truss is doubled, with an additional truss placed immediately adjacent. The roof has staggered purlins and wind braces.