Seamans

Seamans is a former farmhouse located in Wetheringsett-Cum-Brockford, dating from the 16th to 17th centuries and constructed in several phases. It underwent alterations in the late 18th century, likely in 1786 as indicated by a date found at the rear of the building. The structure features a main range with a projecting cross-wing on the right and a matching wing on the left. It is timber framed and plastered, with a coved eaves cornice and a roof made of concrete pantiles, hipped over the ends of the wings. The building has two storeys and an attic, with 19th and 20th-century casement windows; the recessed centre has small panes while the projecting wings have large panes.

To the left of the doorway is an ovolo-mullioned window from around 1600, with another similar window opposite that is blocked but visible from the inside. The late 18th-century doorway features a moulded architrave, frieze, and a pedimented cornice, with a six-panel door where the upper two panels are glazed. The stack in the main range has a rebuilt shaft, while an external stack at the left gable end displays narrow 17th-century brickwork, with the top also rebuilt. At the rear, there is an oval plastered panel inscribed with 'J.S.' and the date 1786.

Inside, the left wing contains substantial heavy studding and two blocked diamond-mullioned upper windows, along with closely spaced chamfered joists in the ceiling of the ground floor room. This range may have originally been end-jettied towards the road, as the gable end appears to have been cut back on the upper floor and the roof reconstructed. The main range consists of four bays, with widely spaced studding and heavy 16th-century joists exposed in one bay on the ground floor. There is a blocked hall fireplace with a lintel that has a moulded soffit. The side purlin roof is likely from the 17th century. The right wing, probably the last phase of construction, features a queen-post roof, with most of the timbers concealed. A late 18th-century fireplace in this wing has an eared surround and frieze with shaped ends, along with a contemporary corner cupboard that has a keyed head and fluted pilasters.