High Trees Farmhouse

High Trees Farmhouse

High Trees Farmhouse is a timber-framed farmhouse dating to the 16th or 17th century, which was extended to the north in the early 19th century. The earlier timber-framed section has been re-fronted in gault brick laid in Flemish bond, whilst the west elevation remains plastered. The early-19th-century north extension is constructed of gault brick laid in Flemish bond, except the west elevation which is red brick in the same bond. The roofs are covered in red plain clay tiles.

The original timber-framed house follows an L-shaped plan, comprising an east range aligned north-south and a south cross wing aligned east-west. The early-19th-century extension forms a north cross wing aligned east-west, with a later 19th-century extension beneath a catslide roof positioned at the south side of the north cross wing's west end.

The house is two storeys with an attic beneath steeply pitched roofs, the south cross wing being hipped at its east end. Large gault brick chimney stacks with oversailing brick courses rise through the centre of the ridge on the south cross wing and at the junction of the east range and north cross wing. The principal three-bay east elevation features a centrally placed gabled entrance porch, which is not original. The front door comprises two lower panels and six glazed upper panels. It is flanked by eight-over-eight pane sash windows set flush in the wall with slender wooden glazing bars and stone wedge-shaped lintels. The first-floor windows lack lintels as they are positioned against the eaves. The window above the door is a six-over-six pane sash. Two six-light flat-headed dormer windows are wholly within the roof space, the right-hand one dating to the late 20th or early 21st century. The gable end of the north cross wing projects on the right-hand side of this elevation, featuring decorative bargeboards and lit by eight-over-eight pane sashes with wedge-shaped lintels on the ground and first floors, and a three-over-six pane sash in the attic.

The three-bay south elevation is lit by similar eight-over-eight pane sashes in both end bays and a six-over-six pane sash in the first-floor central bay. Below this lies a bricked-up doorway. The west elevation comprises, from the left, the red brick gable end of the north cross wing with late-20th-century French windows, a six-over-six pane sash on the first floor, and a two-over-two pane sash above, all under segmental brick arches. The gable end has a catslide roof covering a later-19th-century extension on its right side. The west elevation of the adjoining east range also has a catslide roof sweeping to ground floor level. This is lit by two three-light windows with wooden mullions dating to the late-20th-century restoration, followed by a six-panel door with two small glazed upper panels. On the right, the projecting gable end of the south cross wing is lit by a canted bay window dating to the early 21st century and a three-over-six pane sash above on the left. The irregular north elevation comprises, from the left, a six-over-six pane sash window, a late-20th-century three-light horizontal window, a four-panel door with glazed upper panels under a lattice-work gabled porch, a small three-light window of late-20th-century date, and a blocked-up window, all under gauged gault brick arches. The first floor is lit by three six-over-six pane sashes and the attic by a small rooflight.

Interior

The east range contains part of what may have been the original external west wall frame, with surviving studs, a primary diagonal brace and weathered mid-rail. The timber studs in what is now the external west wall were reset during the late-20th-century restoration using timber from elsewhere in the house. The principal room at the north end of the east range retains large square floor tiles and a wide inglenook lined in brick with flanking seats having arm rests. The 18th-century wooden surround features a mantelpiece with delicate reverse ogee moulding. The original staircase may have been located to the right of the inglenook. The room has a substantial chamfered bridging beam and a moulded spine beam and joists. The cellar at the south end of the east range has low brick benches for laying barrels of beer and built-in wooden shelves.

The south cross wing contains a late Georgian straight-leg staircase with stick balusters and scrolled mahogany handrail. The tread ends are replacements, as the original ones had rotted. The west room has a substantial spine beam with double roll moulding. The fireplace opening is lined with Tudor brick and has a late-20th-century Georgian-style surround and York stone paved hearth. The window on the south wall is etched with the name of one of the Strutts who lived in the house in the early 19th century. The east room has two encased bridging beams and a large fireplace opening with a cambered bressumer of 16th or 17th-century date. The jambs of the original surround have been truncated.

In the principal first-floor room of the east range, part of the west wall frame comprising studs, primary diagonal bracing and wall plate is exposed, along with the roughly hewn spine beam and bridging beam. The brick fireplace, located above the inglenook, has an arched opening and concave back. In the south cross wing, the east room has an encased beam. In the west room, the exposed framing includes a spine beam with double roll moulding, bridging beam, western wall plate, a tie beam along the north wall, and principal post in the north-west corner. It has been partitioned to create two rooms, one retaining a late Georgian swan's nest hobgrate. The door in the partition wall has a spring latch of the same date. More of the timber frame may survive throughout the house beneath plastered walls.

The roof in the east range is ceiled above collar rafters of 20th-century date and retains two purlins and a pair of rafters. The roof above the south cross wing may have been replaced when the house was re-fronted and extended in the early 19th century. It is a principal rafter roof with clasped purlins and collar beams.

The early-19th-century north cross wing has a late-20th-century fitted kitchen, and the rooms upstairs do not retain any fireplaces or other original features.

Attached to the north-east corner of the farmhouse and running along its east side is a low brick plinth surmounted by iron railings with fleur-de-lys finials, probably dating to the early 19th century. The four-sided gate posts are embellished with ironwork in geometric patterns and surmounted by sunken pyramidal caps.

A tall red-brick wall with shallow plinth, probably dating to the 18th or early 19th century, encloses the north and west sides of the garden. The north wall is laid in Flemish bond, capped in brick, and has shallow buttresses at regular intervals. The west wall has saddleback coping and is laid in a variation of Flemish garden wall bond with courses of two stretchers between each pair of headers. It has a plank and batten door at the south end and then tapers downwards.