White House Farmhouse

House. Built in the mid-16th century, with alterations in the 18th century. The house is timber framed and has plastered walls with a roof of handmade red clay tiles. It consists of a three-bay main range facing southeast, a two-bay crosswing at the left end with an internal stack at the junction, and a 17th/18th century one-bay extension with an end stack at the right end. A single-storey extension from the 18th century is located beyond, and it has a wall of red brick in Flemish bond approximately 5 metres high, forming the front elevation. Rear extensions of various dates, from the 18th to the 20th century, are also present.

The house is two storeys high with attics. The ground floor has three early 19th century sash windows with 16 lights each. The first floor has three early 19th century sash windows with 12 lights each, and two similar sash windows from the late 19th century. The windows contain crown glass. There is a six-panel door, with the top two panels glazed, a plain doorcase and a molded flat canopy. Four plastered small buttresses are located near the right end of the front elevation.

The main range and crosswing share a continuous roof, with a hip at the left end and a gable to the rear. The house incorporates jowled posts and close studding. The crosswing features roll-moulded binding and bridging beams, and roll-moulded joists of square section. A panel of original wattle and daub is exposed in the left wall.

The left-hand hearth is large and wood-burning, with simply molded jambs and a roll-moulded mantel beam, which has been repaired. The right-hand hearth has been reduced in width but remains large. The main range has chamfered beams with broach stops, and terminates in an open truss, apparently built originally against a crosswing which has been demolished and replaced by the 17th/18th century extension. Next to the end is a blocked original front doorway with a four-centred arched head, exposed internally. Within the front and rear walls, at both levels, are exceptionally complete series of frieze windows with early glazing and hollow-moulded mullions. The roof structure includes edge-halved and bridled scarfs in all wallplates and a clasped purlin roof. A branching winder stair leads to the attics. There is no jetty or evidence of a former jetty. The house was formerly closer to the sea.