Manor Farm House And Attached Garden Walls

Manor Farm House and Attached Garden Walls

This brick house with attached garden walls dates to 1707 and is built with black unglazed pantiles. It has an L-shaped plan with later additions, its front range comprising three cells arranged in two storeys and attic, with a cellar to the right-hand side.

The symmetrical principal façade features six cross windows on each floor, grouped 3 and 3, with original lead-paned casements, wrought iron fittings and pintle hinges. These windows sit beneath gauged brick flat arches with stone keystones. The keystones on the first floor are inscribed "1707", whilst those on the ground floor bear the letters "GFTR". A central six-panelled door beneath a flat arch of gauged brick with a stone keystone is inscribed with the cipher "TRM" (Thomas, died 1726, and Mary, died 1725, Robins). The doorway is flanked by brick square pilasters topped with stone Corinthian capitals. Above sits a segmental pediment with a horizontal cornice in moulded brick flushed with lead, containing a blank stone cartouche with festoons. Shaped gables with moulded brick caps and gable end internal stacks complete the façade treatment.

The left-hand gable has a moulded brick eaves platband with small fixed windows either side of the stack on ground, first and attic floors. The right-hand (south) side continues in brickwork with a moulded platband to the gable and wing to the left; an eaves platband to the shaped gable; wrought iron scroll work on cramp iron ties; one cross window to the left of the ground and first floor of the gable; and a blocked doorway to the right.

The rear range comprises three distinct builds: to the left, a continuation of the front range in 2 bays, two storeys and attic; a lower 3-bay addition of two storeys and attic to the right, with "70" dated on the gable; and at the east end a lean-to of one storey and attic bearing a datestone inscribed "PTM 1732".

The left range, attached to the front, is brick beneath unglazed black and red pantiles. It has a 4-light casement with transom to the ground floor, two leaded cross windows and a blocked opening to the first floor, and a raking roof dormer with leaded casements. The lower range to the right is separated by a vertical junction of brickwork, with a moulded brick platband continuing the line from the gable and left-hand bays. It has moulded brick cornice similar to the left-hand bays but lower, with red pantiles to the left and black to the right. A central boarded door opens to a front passage, flanked by cross windows; two leaded casements light the first floor; and blocked windows appear on the ground and first floors to the left. A raking roof dormer with a leaded casement is present. The gable has blocked square attic windows either side of the central internal stack; frames with leaded panes and single diamond-sectioned wooden mullions remain in situ behind.

The rear features a wide stair outshut under pantiles to the front range with a blocked window to the outshut.

The interior of the front range preserves substantial period detail. The central cell is laid with large paving tiles. An open well staircase with thin barley sugar twisted balusters features four balusters forming the newel at the base; carved brackets to the stairs depict huntsmen and hounds. A dog gate, part renewed, has barley sugar bars above and open panels below with a contemporary strap hinge. Panelling extends to the stair dado and below the central flight. Rooms to the ground and first floors of the right-hand section have raised panelling. Rooms to the ground and first floors of the left-hand section have reeded fire cases and duck's nest grates. A jewel-stopped chamfered beam lights the ground floor rear wing of the front range. The roof structure is a staggered purlin roof with collar beams.

The attached garden walls project west from the front, with that to the right pierced by a gateway. They are built of brick on a brick plinth with a dentil cornice of moulded bricks under coping; the right-hand wall is partly renewed. The north garden wall, attached to the left-hand wall, is built of brick with moulded brick to its plinth.