Hammond'S Farmhouse

Hammond’s Farmhouse is a timber-frame building with brick and tile detailing, dating to the early 16th century, originally an open hall house. A western wing was added in the late 16th century. Significant alterations and rebuilding occurred in the early 17th century, likely commissioned by John Hammond, including the addition of an eastern crosswing, a stair turret at the rear, and a two-storey porch. The building was repaired around 1900. In the 1930s, panelling from the upper rooms was removed and taken to Rectory Farmhouse.

The house is an irregular, L-shaped structure facing south. The three-bay eastern crosswing projects to the front, with a gabled porch of equal projection set in the angle. A large internal chimney is positioned in the former cross-passage, and there is a gabled stair turret at the rear. The western wing is lower and of two storeys. The south front features flush casement windows of three lights on each floor. Original moulded bargeboards with pendants adorn the porch and gable of the eastern wing, and a two-light window is positioned on the upper floor of the porch. The west side features a former unglazed window with a 4-centred arched doorway and turned baluster-like mullions. Close-studding is visible on the upper floor. A cyma moulded course runs along the top of the base of both chimneys. The main internal chimney has a rectangular shaft with a corbelled top, while the large chimney projecting on the east side of the eastern wing features three diagonal, square shafts. A large ovolo-moulded mullioned and transomed window is located in the rear wall of the western wing.

The interior retains exposed timbers, including symmetrical tension braces and sockets for upper end bench supports in the west wall of the central room. An inserted ovolo-moulded axial floor beam is also present. The eastern wing features ovolo-moulded cross-beams and a large plain fireplace likely used for the kitchen. Peg-holes in the timber lintel of the hall fireplace suggest a previous timber-framed chimney existed before the late 17th-century brick chimney in the cross-passage. The western wing displays elaborate roll-moulded axial beams and a lower floor level. A 4-centred ovolo-moulded fireplace with jamb stops is found in the chamber over the eastern wing, which has an arch-braced roof truss with a central pendant. The chamber over the hall shows long straight braces to the tie-beam, swept-jowled posts, and clasped purlins on a collar. The house features a fine closed-string stair with square newels, ogee finials, and symmetrical turned balusters. A Sun Fire Insurance mark, number 270506, is visible on the left-hand corner post of the porch.