The Key House

The Key House is a house with a complex history, originally dating to the early 17th century. A right-hand bay was extensively rebuilt or added between the 18th and 19th centuries, with a later date of HRT 1899 on the front gable. A porch, dated 1595, was likely an early addition that was subsequently moved. A 17th-century rear wing is constructed differently from the front. The entire building was significantly refurbished in the 20th century, with dates of WFM 1953-81 displayed on the right gable end, marked by a hanging key beside each date.

The right bays and rear wing are timber-framed with diagonal braces and large rectangular panels filled with whitewashed brick and plaster. Many of the timbers have a 20th-century grained coating. The left bay and parts of the rear wing were rebuilt in whitewashed brick. The house has a high stone base and a 20th-century tiled roof, with whitewashed render chimneys. It is arranged in an L-plan, with two storeys and a cellar.

The front has three bays, the right side divided into two gables. The right bays have 20th-century three-light leaded casement windows. The left bay has three single-light windows on each floor, and a cellar window with a chamfered stone surround. A two-storey timber-framed gabled porch stands between the right bays, with a high stone base and single-light windows. The upper storey of the porch is jettied on three sides, featuring ornamental timbering to the front and close diagonal studding to the sides. The original front doorway is blocked, as is a former doorway immediately to the right; the current entry is in the rear wing.

Inside, the centre bay features chamfered spine beams with stops and stop-chamfered joists. The right bay has different floor levels compared to the rest of the house, and an altered fireplace with a bread oven at the rear. The front wing has trusses with raking struts, while the rear wing has queen strut trusses with collars.