Stoke Court

Stoke Court is a house dating back to the 17th century, with substantial alterations and additions around 1700. It is a building of group value, recognised for its significant architectural and historical interest.

The house is constructed of brick, with stone plinths to the south and east. It has hipped and gabled slate roofs, finished with brick copings, and a central lantern with a weather vane on the ridge. There are three brick chimney stacks integrated into the front elevation, and three projecting eaves stacks to the rear of the main range, featuring diagonally spurred shafts with restored caps. An additional stack is located on the side. The house is laid out in a U-shape, comprised of a double-depth main range flanked by cross wings at each end.

The west front has two storeys with an attic and a cellar. The main wall is a symmetrical five-window range, incorporating 9/9 sash windows with moulded surrounds and rubbed brick lintels. A central oak doorcase, complete with a pedimented leaded canopy supported by carved brackets, gives access to an 8-panelled door. Return walls to the left and right feature 15/15 and restored 6/6 sash windows respectively, with blocked windows included on the right return.

The projecting wings each end terminate in large, shaped gables with brick bands marking the floor levels and attic window. The wings have 6/6 sashes in the attic and 9/9 sashes on the first floor. One 6/6 sash in the right wing has been replaced with a doorcase featuring plain pilasters, panelled reveals, and brackets supporting a pedimented canopy above a 6-panelled door. A later 6-panelled door in a moulded doorcase has been inserted into the left wing.

The south return side has a shaped gable over a five-window first-floor range and a six-window ground-floor range, featuring 9/9 sashes with moulded cases and brick segmental arches. A central pair of glazed doors are sheltered by a projecting pedimented canopy. The attic gable has two 2/2 sashes, with dentil brick bands above and below. A stone sundial is set above the second-floor level. The left return has a projecting stack flanked by 6/6 sashes, with a variety of sashes and casements to the left.

The rear elevation exhibits three projecting stacks. Between the stacks on the right are leaded casements with moulded brick hoodmoulds. Between the stacks on the left are first-floor sashes flanking a tall, round-headed 12/9 staircase sash and leaded casements with moulded brick hoodmoulds, with a 6-panelled door at ground level.

The interior of the main range features chamfered bridging beams with ovolo stops, and short swept braces to the ground-floor truss frames. Early 17th-century panelling is incorporated into a later fireplace surround in the south bay, while the central bay has 18th-century raised panelling. A dog-leg oak staircase has a closed string, and features column-on-vase balusters, a toad-back handrail, and a cluster of four balusters forming a newel. The main range’s roof is a 17th-century twin trenched-purlin roof of five bays, with closed trusses, a high collar with raking struts, and tie beams interrupted by doorway posts. A lead rainwater hopper dated 1702 serves the west front.