Church Farmhouse

LONG MARSTON

SP1548 MAIN STREET 1912-1/13/89 (West side) Church Farmhouse

GV II

Former school and farmhouse, now house. c1800 with altered late C17 rear wing. Brick, part roughcast on rubble plinth, with ashlar dressings to rear wing; concrete tile roof with brick end stacks. T-plan. EXTERIOR: 3 storey. Symmetrical 3-window range: front range has doorcase to entrance with reeded pilasters and slender consoles to open pediment; overlight with decorative glazing bars; door with 4 glazed and 2 flush panels. Windows have tile sills, and 8/8 sashes to ground floor, 6/6 sashes to 1st floor, and 3/3 sashes to 2nd floor. Small single-storey addition to right end. Rear wing left return has ashlar quoins and cornice; entrance to right end has ashlar doorcase with simple architrave, pulvinated frieze and cornice, door with 4 glazed and 2 flush panels. Large c1900 canted bay window has hipped roof over casements; 1st floor has 2 windows with c1900 casements and small window over entrance. Coped gable end has entrance and 2 small attic windows; end stack. Right return has lean-to outshut. INTERIOR: front range has chamfered beams, some ending over windows; moulded architraves to windows and doors; dog-leg stair with moulded handrail and square newels; flagged floors; one large fireplace with re-used moulded bressumer. Rear wing has rough beams and C20 fireplace possibly covering large earlier fireplace; 1st floor with partly visible truss with straight cruck spurs and struts. HISTORY: school was founded by John Cooper and was flourishing by 1656, known as the Grammar School; it was sold in 1919. Ursula Bloom, novelist and playwright, lived here at one time.

Listing NGR: SP1529548395