Westhorpe Farmhouse

Farmhouse. Dating to the early 17th century, it may incorporate elements of an earlier dwelling, and has undergone 20th-century alterations and additions. The farmhouse is constructed of coursed rubble Coal Measures sandstone, almost completely concealed by smooth cement renders, with sandstone dressings. It has plain gables and one gable and one ridge stack, both built in 19th-century brick. The roof is pantiled, with Welsh slate and stone slate eaves replacing the original stone slate covering. The building is in an L-shape, and has 20th-century outshuts to the south (front) and west elevations. To the rear of the west range is an 18th-century two-storey offshut. The south elevation has two bays, two storeys and attics, with a 20th-century half-glazed porch concealing a 17th-century doorway, adjoining a rendered flat-roofed extension to the west ground floor bay. The doorway has a massive chamfered surround and lintel, and a planked and braced door hung from contemporary strap hinges. To the east, a former two-light recessed chamfer mullion window sits beneath a continuous drip mould serving the doorway. A 20th-century two-light casement replaces the mullion window here, and a two-light window is above on the first floor. The west bay originally contained a three-light and a two-light window. The west gable has stacked two-light windows, formerly all mullioned, including an attic window with a surviving mullion, and one blocked light. The first floor has a surviving mullion, and the ground floor does not. The gable apex is unrendered. The two-bay rear wing has two ground floor 17th-century window openings now without mullions, beneath a rendered continuous drip mould. A single first-floor opening has a 20th-century two-light casement. The north gable is unrendered, with stacked former two-light chamfer mullion windows with drip moulds. An attic window is blocked, the first-floor window has its mullion removed, and the ground floor has been widened to create a farm doorway. A lean-to addition on the east side wall has a two-light window above a shuttered opening, and to the north, a flight of stone steps leads to a first-floor doorway. The east gable has two blocked 17th-century single-light attic windows. Inside, a ground-floor hearth to the west bay serves rooms in both the front and rear ranges. Remnants of a smoke hood remain on the first and attic floors against the east gable. 17th-century spine beams and joists are present, the former with 17th-century chamfer stops, in the front and rear ranges. The roof is a double-purlin structure carried on collar and tie beam trusses, with straight wind braces on alternate sides and bays. A window stair against the east gable leads to a boarded doorway adjacent to a first-floor hearth. The stair newel in the attic has a polygonal finial.