Manor House Farmhouse

This is a former farmhouse, most recently a public house, currently undergoing refurbishment as a dwelling. It dates to 1669, with alterations and extensions in the 18th century, 19th century, and 20th century. The farmhouse is constructed of coursed, squared Coal Measures sandstone rubble with gritstone dressings and quoins. It has ashlar chimneys to three gables and an external stack on the rear wall. The roof is covered with stone slates on three slopes and concrete slates on the front slope.

The plan is of two phases and double depth. The south-facing front elevation has two storeys and two bays, featuring 17th-century window surrounds to former chamfer-mullioned windows on the ground and first floors of the end bays. A projecting single-story wing with artificial stone is centered on the front, housing a doorway, and is not of particular interest. The west-facing side elevation has two gables, coped with kneelers to the outer slopes. The left gable has a surround to a former first-floor chamfer-mullioned window beneath a hood mould, which forms part of a continuous string course that extends across the right-hand gable. A datestone reads “S.S. 1669” above this. An altered window opening with a 20th-century frame is on the ground floor, and a blocked inserted doorway is to the right. The right-hand gable displays an unbonded butt joint against the quoins of the left gable, and a single 17th-century window is on the left side of the ground floor.

The north-facing rear elevation has a centrally placed external stone stack rising from a chamfered plinth. The masonry is of 17th-century origin up to the eaves level, with later 19th-century ashlar above. Within disturbed masonry to the right are stacked two-light chamfer-mullioned windows, the lower opening now blocked. An inserted opening to the left side of the first floor incorporates a 19th-century horizontally-sliding sash. The east-facing side elevation has a 19th-century single-story addition to the front gable, possibly originally a dairy.

The interior of the front range on the ground floor has substantial chamfered spine beams and exposed joists throughout. The west room features a large 18th-century hearth to the gable wall with a massive lintel supported on jowelled jambs. The east room has a projecting hearth breast beneath a bressumer beam, now with a 20th-century surround. A curved bar settle serves as a baffle partition to the present entry. The rear range has a 20th-century bar counter in the east room, and servery openings within a partition to serve the west room. Both rooms feature substantial spine beams. The first floor of the rear range has inserted or replacement ceiling beams and joists. Above, a 17th-century single purlin roof retains wind braces and three pegged collar and tie beam trusses near the gable masonry. The front range has a plainer roof timbering, without trusses, with the purlins bearing on the masonry walling. A blocked single-light 17th-century window is exposed in the west range rear wall, featuring a diamond-pattern leaded light and saddle bars.