Rookery Farmhouse

WESTHORPE CHURCH ROAD (SOUTH SIDE) TM 06 NW 4/111 Rookery Farm House 29.7.55 GV II*

House, originally possibly a guildhall. Mid to late C15, stack inserted late C16 or early C17, altered late C18 and early C19. Timber frame, plastered. Steeply pitched plaintiled roof. 5 large storeyed bays, originally jettied to right end. 2 storeys and attic. Ground floor: C18 entrance slightly to left of centre, likely to be an original entrance position, a 6-panelled door with 4 fielded panels, semi-circular fanlight, fluted pilasters, oval medallions on dosserets to dentilled open pediment; into right and later service bay a second entrance, a part glazed 6-panelled door, C19 architrave, shaped brackets to hood, an architraved glazing bar sash to right, two C20 glazing bar sashes to left. First floor 3 architraved glazing bar sashes, boxed eaves. Axial ridge stack inserted in central bay. Left end French windows, first floor 6 pane casement, attic 3-light part opening metal frame casement. To rear right a C20 lean-to porch to original entrance and a 3-light part opening metal frame casement, to rear left an inserted C19 stack in later parlour, a ground floor canted bay window with transomed glazing bar casements, tiled head, first floor part opening cross casement. Interior: original entrance to rear into right bay near corner, a chamfered 2 centred arched doorway of 2 pieces of timber. Jettied right end wall, now underbuilt, had large brackets to alternate broad joists, jowled corner post, shutter grooves for large windows on right end and to front right. A stop chamfered cross axial binding beam between 2 right bays rests on stop chamfered jowled storey posts with early Perpendicular moulded corbels to 4 centred arched braces, broach stopped binding beam towards centre with inserted stack had similar braces. Framing concealed in 2 left bays. Late C18 staircase in front of stack with a turned newel post, slat balusters, moulded handrail. First floor framing largely concealed, large chamfered jowled posts with mortices for large arched braces, 2 central tie beams of smaller scantling retain mortices for crown posts and appear to have been in closed trusses with partitions below, chamfered cross axial binding beams and reused roll moulded joists inserted to form attic in C17. In attic a C17 internal window, ovolo mullioned 3 lights with lattice leaded panes. Roof has original numbered rafters and low collars without smoke blackening, right gable end has vestigial scissor bracing, side purlins inserted. This is an unusual building, the original function and arrangements are unclear.

Listing NGR: TM0440769170