Church Farmhouse

Church Farmhouse is an inn that has been converted into a house. It dates back to the early 17th century, with some re-facing from the early 19th century and additional changes made in the mid to late 19th century. The building is timber framed, featuring a sandstone plinth and painted brick nogging, with painted brick on the right side and at the rear, topped with an old tile roof that is hipped to the right. The structure is L-shaped with three framed bays on the front and stands two storeys high, with gable-lit attics.

The framing includes close studding with tension braces and straight corner braces. The first floor on the left jetties out and is supported by a moulded bressumer and three brackets with carved heads. There is a central ridge stack, a stack to the left at the rear, two end stacks to the right, and an end stack on the wing at the rear. The 19th-century wooden mullioned and transomed casements include four on the first floor and three on the ground floor to the left. On the right, there is a projecting square bay on the ground floor with a dentil brick eaves cornice, a catslide roof, and a glazing bar sash window at the front with a flush frame. Access to the door, located between the first and second windows from the right, is via seven steps. The door features six raised and fielded panels, a three-light overlight, and a doorcase with reeded pilasters supporting an entablature with a dentil cornice. The left-hand gable end reveals an exposed queen post truss.

Inside, the ground floor room to the right has a chamfered beam and joists. The first-floor room to the left showcases panelling dated 1625 above the fireplace and a moulded beam, along with somewhat altered queen post roof trusses. This building was formerly known as The Bell Inn, and it is reputed that Charles Dickens wrote The Old Curiosity Shop while staying here.