Sycamore House

Sycamore House is a farmhouse dating from the 15th century, with alterations made in the 16th century and later. This substantial H-plan open hall house is two storeys high, constructed from timber framing and plaster, with areas featuring 18th century or early 19th century herringbone pargetting. The roof is covered with plaintiles and is adorned with several red brick chimneys from the 16th century and later. Notably, there is a late 16th century external stack against the left parlour cross-wing, which has a pair of diagonally-set square shafts.

The house features various windows, mostly from the early 19th century, including a small-paned sash in the parlour and several casements with mullions and transoms, one of which is a splayed bay with hinged boarded shutters. There are two entrance doorways; the main entrance on the left has an early 19th century cornice on pilasters, a two-panelled door, and a 20th century open lean-to porch. The secondary entrance features an early 19th century six-panelled door.

The right-hand cross-wing may be the oldest part of the house, jettied at the first floor and exhibiting widely-spaced tension-braced studwork typical of the early 15th century. The hall range displays massive close-scudding from the 15th century. Alterations around 1600 included the insertion of an upper floor into the hall, raising the walls, and rebuilding all roofs while retaining many of the original smoke-blackened hall rafters. The staircase features early 17th century balustrading with a turned newel and balusters.

Additionally, a dairy-bakehouse range was added to the right in the mid to late 16th century, which includes a massive plain upper floor and arch-braced close-studwork. An original mullioned window retains its sliding shutter, and the roof is constructed with clasped purlins.