The Firs

THE FIRS

A house of around 1750 and later, extended and divided into four units. Built in red brick with black pantiles, it is constructed as a double pile with cellar and three storeys. The building was originally configured with two linked symmetrical single storey wings, which have since been heightened to one and a half storeys. A twentieth-century extension extends to the south, while a northern section has been heightened to two storeys.

The central block presents a five-bay facade with a central door and windows of one and a half height on the second floor. The windows are sashes with heavy glazing bars and stone Gibbsian flat arches. The principal door is a raised and fielded six-panel design with a semi-circular fanlight and glazing bars, set within a doorcase featuring panelled reveals, engaged Ionic columns, a pulvinated frieze and pediment. A secondary entrance, inserted into a window opening to the left of centre, provides modern access to the first floor via an inserted stair. The building sits on a brick plinth with moulded timber eaves. The gables are curved with stone copings, and extend horizontally in the centre to mask the central valley. Gable stacks rise from each pile.

The south wing comprises two bays with sash windows featuring heavy glazing bars and semi-circular heads, set in timber architraves with key and impost blocks. Nineteenth-century sash windows with glazing bars occupy the upper section. A plinth runs along the base, and rusticated stone quoins articulate the edges of a shallow projecting central bay.

The north wing has a ground floor sash window matching the south wing's pattern, with an inserted door to the right containing a raised and fielded six-panel door with fanlight—reusing a semi-circular fanlight salvaged from the window it replaces. Nineteenth-century sash windows with rusticated stone flat arches and heavy glazing bars occupy higher levels. Plinth and quoins match the south wing. A moulded timber cornice leads to the hipped roof.

An early nineteenth-century pedimented wing to the north features a moulded timber cornice at the first floor level with stone cornice, the central section of which is now missing but originally linked to the eaves cornice. The centre bay projects forward with a central sash window topped by heavy glazing bars and a rusticated flat stone arch. Above sits a pulvinated stone frieze and inner pediment. The wing terminates in a stone parapet eaves to the hipped roof.

The rear elevation of the central section displays five bays in the pattern a.a.b.a.a., with a central shallow projecting bay crowned by a pediment. At ground floor in the central bay sits a six-panel part-glazed door with fielded panels and semi-circular fanlight with glazing bars, contained within a timber doorcase with a projecting open pediment on consoles. A Venetian window lights the stair landing, articulated with pilasters, pulvinated frieze and glazing bars. On the second floor, a window with semi-circular head and timber architrave with key and respond blocks occupies the central bay. Half-height sash windows sit above on the second floor. Throughout the rear elevation, sash windows display a splayed rectangular pattern of heavy glazing bars beneath flat stone arches with keystones. A moulded timber cornice runs the length, with stone quoins articulating the wings, which feature later inserted windows.

The interior contains fine mid-eighteenth-century detail. The hall features a decorated cornice and a landing with an almost Rococo ceiling. A dog-leg stair with open strings, curved tread ends, iron twist balusters and a moulded handrail rises through this space, illuminated by the Venetian window with its pilasters and pulvinated frieze. The ground floor parlour displays raised and fielded plaster panelling with dado. The first floor boudoir is similarly treated and features a scrolled pediment above the fireplace and a quilted cornice. Raised and fielded six-panel doors with shouldered architraves occur throughout. Raised and fielded window shutters are present. Semi-circular arches with key and impost blocks articulate the hall.

A twentieth-century addition to the south is not of special architectural interest.