Brookgate Farmhouse

Brookgate Farmhouse is a timber-framed farmhouse, dating back to the 14th or 15th century, with significant alterations and extensions around 1600 and later additions. The structure is largely encased in red brick with plain-tile roofs. Originally an open-hall farmhouse with two bays and a service bay at the west end, it was floored over around 1600 and an axial ridge stack was inserted at the lower end of the hall. Simultaneously, or shortly after, a four-bay cross-wing was added to the left, and a two-bay kitchen range was built to the rear on the right, creating a U-shaped plan.

The front of the house features a projecting crow-stepped gable to the left, containing a range of mid-19th century casement windows with segmental arches. The right-hand gable, which is flush, also has mid-19th century casements on both the ground and first floors, offset to the left. A mid-19th century four-panel door with a console bracketed hood stands in line with the axial brick ridge stack to the left, while another plain four-panel door is located in the right-hand gable.

The interior retains substantial portions of the timber frame, featuring close studding and square panelling. The ground floor of the hall range has massive chamfered spine beams with heavy joists and ogee chamfer stops. The front room of the left-hand cross-wing features a cross-beamed ceiling, also with ogee chamfered stops and later moulded plaster infills, alongside a large stack with an infilled inglenook fireplace. A cellar sits beneath the rear room of the cross-wing. The smoke-blackened roof structure is visible both upstairs and in the attic. Three true cruck trusses are present, with upper and lower collars and Alcock apex type E, the westernmost arch-braced with a cusped spere truss. The cross-wing has a chamfered double-purlin roof with tie and collar beams and straight wind braces. A well is situated in the kitchen, and there is a mid-19th century dairy at the rear. A cast-iron fireback dated 1638, bearing the initials "R.P.E." (for Richard and Elinor Peers), was formerly in the house but has now been removed.

The farmhouse is designated as a Grade II* listed building due to the completeness of the medieval and subsequent timber frame.