Poplars Farmhouse

TL 51 NE AYTHORPE RODING POPLARS FARMHOUSE

2/78 POPLARS FARMHOUSE

GV II

Farmhouse, part late medieval, part late C16, extended in C18 and C20. Timber- framed, plastered, roofs tiled. Consists of a 2-bay block aligned N-S, late medieval, with axial chimney stack at N end, and S of it, and structurally distinct from it, a 2-bay block aligned E-W, late C16, forming an L-plan, with original central chimney stack. One-bay extension to N of N-S block added in C18, reconstructed from an earlier building. Kitchen/wash-house of near-square plan to E of it, originally separate but linked to it in C20. Flat-roofed 2-storey extension in the angle of the L-plan, C20. W elevation, 2 storeys except the N extension, which is of one storey with attic, half-hipped at N end. Ground floor, 3 C20 casement windows and C20 porch constructed of re-used timber; first-floor, 2 C20 casement windows. Pentice board on gable of E-W block. Framing partly exposed internally. Jowled storey posts, except at the S end of the N extension. The N-S block has an arch-braced cambered central tiebeam, originally for a crownpost roof but the roof has been rebuilt above tiebeam level. Floor rebuilt in C20. The E-W block has straight tension bracing trenched inside the studs; studs omitted, and arch-braced at both storeys in the W half of the N wall, where it abuts on the earlier building. Grooves for sliding shutters at both ends and in the E half of the S wall, at both levels. Clasped purlin roof, framing exposed externally at the E gable. The house contains several imitation antique doors. The house reached its L-plan form before the end of the C16, at which time it was probably designed and used as a lobby-entrance house with the main door in the middle of the S elevation, with the older part forming a rear service wing. Ground floor partition between the blocks now removed, and main door moved to W side of N-S block. The house was thatched until c.1969; it was probably tiled originally. The originally separate kitchen/wash-house is of one storey with a hipped roof, fully plastered internally, not datable on present evidence. Formerly no. 16/496 Grade III in the parish of High Roding, RCHM 19.

Listing NGR: TL5762915587