Kings John'S Farm, Penn Cottage, Penn Farm And Garden Wall

A large house now divided into three dwellings, with attached barn conversion and garden wall, located on the northeast side of Berry Lane, Chorleywood. The complex dates primarily to the early 16th century with substantial restoration and extension around 1910 by A. Capell, undertaken in Vernacular Revival style.

King John's Farm

The original core comprises a timber frame structure on a brick base with brick nogging, partly rendered and tile hung. The building was originally a large three-bay house with wings subsequently added at both ends; all elements are two storeys tall. The inner elevation facing the enclosed garden represents the original front. At the left end of the large hall bay stands an original plank door with iron strap hinges, moulded four-centred head and jambs within a moulded squared surround. The flanking windows, dating from around 1910, are timber mullion leaded four-light casements. The exposed timber frame displays posts of large scantling and close studding. The first floor is continuously jettied on a moulded bressumer; the circa 1910 casements to this floor are one and two lights with exposed posts, studs and curved braces, accompanied by applied ornament typical of the period. At the right end of the original building is an original stack with a rebuilt cap; two further stacks with oversailing caps were inserted to the left. The roof hips to the left over service bays.

The circa 1910 entrance and stair block is attached at the right end, with a projecting wing. The present entrance front, facing the right end, is entirely of this period. It features a gabled timber porch with a four-centred head and Gothic traceried plank door, with a first floor four-light oriel window and a roof hipped to the front. An adjoining wing to the left contains leaded light casements, an external stack and hipped roof.

Towards the garden, this wing displays similar sham timber framing with gabled dormers. The rear of King John's Farm, on the right return from the present entrance, was entirely rebuilt around 1910. It features a four-centred head to a plank door and scattered leaded light casements. The first floor is partly decorative tile-hung and partly sham timber-framed with pargetting and a plasterwork vine scroll frieze between storeys, with gabled dormers to the roof.

Interior of King John's Farm

The ground floor contains stop-chamfered binding beams and joists with curved braces and jowled posts. A large 18th-century fireplace replaces an earlier one. An early 17th-century repositioned stair in the entrance hall features barley sugar balusters and ball finials to panelled newel posts. The roof structure comprises curved braces to cambered tie beams, queen struts to collars clasping purlins, and curved windbraces.

Penn Cottage

Formerly a barn or stable building dating to the 17th century, Penn Cottage has been extended and altered around 1910 and subsequently. It is constructed of red brick in largely English bond, with parts whitewashed and rendered brick additions. The tiled roofs cover a two-storey gable-ended block with a circa 1910 entrance porch at the right end adjoining King John's Farm. The porch contains one and two-light leaded pane casements flanking the door, with a half-hipped roof. In the gable end of the 17th-century block is a two-light window with moulded kneelers; elsewhere are one and three-light inserted casements. A plinth runs around the structure. The ground floor features a slit in the left gable end wall, which has been rebuilt with sham timber framing. A one-storey block was added to the left. The rear is whitewashed.

Penn Farm

Attached at the left end from the garden, Penn Farm dates entirely to around 1910. Towards the garden it displays a jettied first floor with leaded light casements, a first floor gabled oriel with applied ornament, a hipped roof with an extruded end stack bearing two diagonal shafts. The outer or entrance front features scattered leaded light casements and sham timber framing on the first floor with trefoil and pargetted ornament.

Garden Wall

A brick wall approximately 2 metres in height encloses the front garden, attached to the left end of Penn Cottage. It has a plinth and later buttresses, with a slit opening. William Penn was married here in 1672.