Cawston Farm House

1724/0/10045 20-FEB-04

DUNCHURCH COVENTRY ROAD Cawston Farm House

II

Former farmhouse. Mid- to late-C18, incorporating significant elements of mid-C17 building; later additions and alterations. Red brick with pitched machine tile roofs. 4-bay, double-depth plan house with rear range, single-storey late-C19 service range with C20 addition, late-C19 addition to left gable end of front range with C20 extensions. EXTERIOR: All windows with original openings and stone cills, but with replacement uPVC windows to earlier pattern. Front (north) elevation from left has 3 windows to first floor then 2-storey 1930s canted bay to right; ground floor has C19 half-glazed double doors to left, then tripartite sash then entrance with 6-panel door with rectangular overlight in pilastered doorcase with consoles to flat hood. Integral end stacks and plain plat band interrupted by doorcase and bay window. Parallel rear range has 3 segmental-headed 3-light casements to first floor, with similar to ground floor with paired half-glazed doors to centre; 2-light gabled dormer and brick ridge stack to right of centre. Late-C19 addition to front has 1930s bay window. Late-C19 service range at south-east corner of rear range has rendered front wall, slate roof hipped to left and 2 ridge stacks. INTERIOR: Diamond-patterned stone-flagged entrance hall runs through both ranges. Straight-flight staircase at far end rising through rear range to join landing in front range, where it turns in another straight flight to rise to the attic. Closed string and turned balusters from ground floor to attic, where it changes to Chinese Chippendale style balustrade; moulded handrail and square newels, except at foot where wreathed and radiating. Chimneybreast in rear range has timber lintel of infilled inglenook fireplace now in passage parallel with entrance hall; fireplace to other side of this chimney breast has segmental brick arch in present kitchen. Combination of 6-panel and 4-panel doors on lower floors; some plank doors to attics. Several rooms have C19 cast-iron fireplaces in plain surrounds; sash windows on ground floor retain panelled window shutters as do half-glazed double doors on front wall. Rear range has chamfered ceiling beams with straight-cut stops, one first-floor room also with exposed joists. Roof purlins visible. Cellar beneath part of rear range. This is a substantial mid- to late-C18 farmhouse incorporating significant elements of a mid-C17 building and retaining interior features.