Harpendenbury Farmhouse

Harpendenbury Farmhouse is a farmhouse that dates from the 15th or early 16th century, originally built as a hall house. It was extended by two bays to the south in the late 17th century, and a mid-19th century cross wing was added at the southern end. The building features a timber frame with red brick casing and some exposed framing, topped with a plain tile roof.

The farmhouse is two storeys high, with the lower cross wing on the north side containing a hall that is oriented at right angles to the main house. The north elevation of this wing displays an exposed curved brace and a 17th-century external oven stack. The main elevation has four mid-19th century glazing-bar sash and casement windows set in flush frames, along with a central flush panel door that has a simple hood above it.

A large central ridge chimney stack, which dates from the late 17th century, is located above the door. This stack has a square base with an ovolo cornice and six diagonal square shafts. Internally, the stack divides the two 17th-century bays and features a rear staircase attached to it. The floor beams are ovolo moulded. The hall consists of two bays and includes a fine exposed crown post, which is a short square post with a stepped base and capital. There is a cambered tie beam with straight braces to the collar purlin and a hidden collar brace. The timbers in both bays show signs of soot, and the area above the tie beam has been filled in with a later partition. The rear wall exhibits Wealden framing, and there is a half-bay continuation on the front side.