Rookery Farmhouse

GIPPING GIPPING ROAD, STOWUPLAND TM 06 SE

5/48 Rookery Farmhouse -

GV II

Farmhouse, c.1530 with alterations of early C17 and early C19. 2 storeys and attics. 3-cell cross-entry plan. Timber-framed and plastered; the ground storey walling and the left hand gable are rebuilt in C19 red brick. Concrete tiled roof, once thatched. An axial chimney of C16 or early C17 orange and buff brick; a C19 gable chimney of red brick to left. Mid C20 2-light casements at 1st storey; two C18 3-light casements with transomes at ground storey, one replaced in late C20. Boarded C20 entrance doors. A high quality building of c.1530. The hall has ogee-and-scotia moulded joists and a massive binding beam with deep multiple mouldings. A fine but incomplete C16 plank- and-muntin cross-passage screen has been moved slightly to right in late C18 and a good cupboard with fluted pilasters and carved shelves incorporated. An original wide hall fireplace has a cambered lintel and sunk panels of red brickwork over. One of a pair of service room doorways has a 4-centred arched head, the other is restored. Heavy unchamfered joists in the service cell to left. The 1st floor layout is unusual: a large 2-bay chamber over the service cell extends partly over the hall, with a good archbraced cambered and chamfered tiebeam. Very closely spaced studding. An original lintelled fireplace to the parlour, but the parlour cell was rebuilt in C17: reused medieval floor joists, and a heavily moulded bridging beam of C15 or early C16. The chamber above has C18 stencilled wall decoration in black vertical lines; abstract patterns of intertwined foliage. Clasped-purlin roof of early C17 with reduced principal rafters.

Listing NGR: TM0852062702