Church Farmhouse

Church Farmhouse is a circa 1664 farmhouse, potentially incorporating an earlier structure, with later additions and alterations. The original timber framing is largely obscured by a red brick exterior (a mix of English and Flemish bond) applied in the late 18th century. The roof is covered in machine tiles with coped verges and carved stone kneelers. The building has an L-shaped layout, with a hall range to the right and a three-bay cross-wing projecting to the rear.

The hall range is one storey with an attic, featuring a dentilled eaves cornice, while the cross-wing is three storeys tall and has continuous floor bands. The windows are mostly early 19th-century casement windows with leaded lights; two have segmental heads on the ground floor of the hall range, and one is in a timber-framed half dormer to the left. The front gable of the cross-wing has one window on each floor, the ground and first floor windows with segmental heads. The entrance is on the far left of the hall range through a 17th-century plank and muntin door, secured by fleur-de-lys pointed strap hinges within a moulded wooden doorcase, topped with a 19th-century gabled hood. A prominent red brick ridge stack is located immediately to the left, at the junction with the cross-wing, featuring three attached and rebated shafts. A late 18th-century integral end stack is on the right side of the hall range.

A large half-dormer on the hall range displays the date “1664” on its jettied bressumer, which has ogee stops. It also features carved corner brackets and V-struts from the collar. A timber-framed lean-to dairy with red brick infill is located to the rear of the hall range and is likely contemporary with the main house. A small, gabled brick wash-house is situated at the rear of the cross-wing.

The interior of the main ground-floor room within the hall range has a massive, chamfered cross-beam ceiling with horizontal braces partially infilled. An inglenook fireplace is present, and the wall to the right is timber-framed. This room has a timber-framed back wall with 17th-century rectangular oak panelling on the end and front walls. Throughout the house are panelled and plank and muntin doors with wooden latches. The dog-leg staircase in the cross-wing rises to the attic, featuring a moulded handrail, stick balusters, and pointed knobs. The hall range has a collar and tie beam roof while the cross-wing has a queen post roof with straight windbraces.