Poplars Farmhouse

Poplars Farmhouse is a timber-framed farmhouse incorporating elements from the late medieval period, the late 16th century, the 18th century, and the 20th century. The house is framed with timber, plastered, and has tiled roofs. It comprises a two-bay block aligned north-south, dating to the late medieval period, with an axial chimney stack at the northern end and to the south of it, structurally distinct and forming an L-plan with a two-bay block aligned east-west, also dating to the late 16th century, which contains an original central chimney stack. An additional one-bay extension to the north of the north-south block was added in the 18th century and reconstructed from an earlier building. A near-square kitchen/wash-house, originally separate but later linked in the 20th century, sits to the east of the main blocks. A flat-roofed, two-storey extension, also from the 20th century, occupies the angle of the L-plan.

The west elevation is two storeys high, except for the north extension, which is single-story with an attic, and has a half-hipped north end. The ground floor has three 20th-century casement windows and a 20th-century porch constructed from reused timber. The first floor features two 20th-century casement windows. Framing is partly exposed internally. Jowled storey posts are present, except at the south end of the north extension. The north-south block features an arch-braced cambered central tiebeam, originally supporting a crownpost roof, although the roof has been rebuilt above tiebeam level, with a floor rebuilt in the 20th century. The east-west block has straight tension bracing trenched inside the studs, with studs omitted and arch-braced at both storeys in the west half of the north wall, where it abuts the earlier building. Grooves for sliding shutters are visible at both ends and in the east half of the south wall, at both levels. The house has a clasped purlin roof, with external framing visible at the east gable. The interior contains several imitation antique doors.

The house achieved its L-plan form before the end of the 16th century and was likely designed and used as a lobby-entrance house, with the original main door positioned in the middle of the south elevation, with the earlier part of the house serving as a rear service wing. A ground-floor partition between the blocks has been removed, and the main door has been relocated to the west side of the north-south block. The house was thatched until approximately 1969 and was likely originally tiled. The originally separate kitchen/wash-house is single-story with a hipped roof, fully plastered internally and is not datable with current evidence. It was formerly listed as no. 16/496 Grade III within the parish of High Roding.