Spenford House

Spenford House is a farmhouse, later adapted for residential use, dating from the early 17th century. It was partly rebuilt in the early to mid-18th century, with subsequent additions and alterations. The structure combines timber framing with painted brick infill in the 17th-century section, and painted brick in the 18th-century section, all under machine tile roofs. The building follows a T-plan layout, with a long hall range to the rear, which was entirely rebuilt in the 18th century using brick. It is two storeys high, with a gable-lit attic to the cross-wing. The timber framing of the cross-wing appears originally to have been in two bays, now exhibiting four rectangular panels from the cill to the wall-plate, with short straight tension braces. A jettied first floor and attic extend from the left gable end, supported by bressumers resting on carved brackets; the attic bracket features a geometrical motif. Decorative herringbone patterns are visible above the tie beam, and single purlins project from the ends of the roof. Three 19th-century casement windows are positioned to the left and right of the entrance, which is located slightly left of centre; the first-floor windows sit directly below the eaves. A contemporary, gabled timber porch covers a nail-studded door. Pointed finials adorn the gable ends. The hall range features a floor band to the two bays on the left, with three plain pilasters. Three late 19th-century casement windows are present on each floor, with segmental heads above all but the upper centre window. A prominent red brick ridge stack rises to the right, featuring five attached and rebated shafts with a 19th-century toothed capping, while a smaller red brick stack is found in the roof slope to the far left. The interior, uninspected during a 1986 survey, was noted to contain a massive moulded cross beam with heavy joists, and a partly infilled inglenook fireplace in the hall range.