Manor Farmhouse

TL 3044 ABINGTON PIGOTTS CHURCH LANE (North-west side) 14/3 Manor Farmhouse 22.ii.57

GV II*

Farmhouse, formerly the manor house. Built by Henry Pigott (d.1588) possibly as an addition to an existing building. Mid C16 with C17 additions and alterations, and C19 and C20 renovation. Timber-framed and plastered with red brick and some reused early medieval limestone plinth; red brick chimney stacks. Plain tiled gabled roofs. Two storeys. Rear service wing forming an L-plan with main range. Central passage to main range continued as a screen passage to rear hall with similar first floor plan perhaps functioning originally as a long gallery. C17 kitchens now demolished with exposed hearth and baking oven to north-west elevation, rear hall divided for dairy and pantry. South-east elevation: Roof with four gables, gable to right hand largest, each gable with folded leaf ornament to barge boards, turned drop finials and one to the centre of each jettied roof bay with a carved head finial to right hand. First floor jetty plastered. Wide doorway with carved leaf spandrels to four-centred arch. Studded boarded oak door. One early C20 three-light casement window to left hand and one large twelve-paned flush-framed hung sash window to right hand; three similar but smaller first floor windows; one attic window. Tiled roof and offsets to guarderobe and to large side chimney stack with pair of cojoined diagonal shafts; small lights to guarderobe. Two late C17 cross framed leaded light casement windows in north-east elevation. Interior: Double ogee chamfered cross beams, main ceiling beams and cornices with leaf stops and run out stops. Substantial close-studded timber-frame. One window with ogee-and hollow-chamfer moulded mullions blocked in north-west elevation. Clunch door jambs to guarderobes. Chimneys recently blocked to south-west rooms. Three doors, two with oak planks and ribs, and one with nine panels and moulded frame. Staircase to roof with some original solid wooden steps. Side purlin roofs with curved wind braces formerly in each bay. The roof of the south-east gable has racked and been rebuilt. Early C19 staircase in main range and replacement doors. The manor house became a farmhouse after 1680 when Granado Pigott removed to Bassingbourn, it is perhaps then that alterations were made to the rear wing. Glass with family coat of arms removed to chancel of Bassingbourn Church. The house is situated within a moated site.

RCHM report 1950 Will Francis Pigott PRO VCH Vol VIII p5 and Litlington Pevsner: Buildings of England P291 Ireland, M Dec History of Abington Pigotts with Litlington, C19 photograph

Listing NGR: TL3039344813