Crown Farmhouse

STOWUPLAND CHURCH ROAD TM 05 NE

7/170 Crown Farmhouse -

-- II

Former farmhouse. C15 core with late C16 alterations. A central open hall of one storey with attics; to right a 2-storey parlour cross-wing of late C16, to left a set-forward service wing also of late C16. Timber-framed and plastered. Plaintiled roofs: to left is an axial chimney of late C16 buff brick, to right another with rebuilt shaft of C20 red brick. One gabled casement dormer in centre range. Mid C20 casements. Early C19 doorway at lobby entrance position; architrave and pediment, and later half-glazed 4- panelled door. A complex house with good features of 3 periods. A 2-bay open hall of perhaps early C15 has a near-complete open truss: cambered tiebeam with chamfered arch braces, and a large cross-quadrate crownpost with 4-way braces. Studwork of average spacing with arch windbracing. To left is a small integral parlour block. The service cell was demolished in late C16 and a 3-bay parlour cross-wing replaced it; many major components, including the entire roof are reused from a high-quality late C15 or early C16 house. The roof is of crownpost type with heavy collar-braces (soulaces), and a chamfered square crownpost whose braces are not original. Two tie-beams have ogee and scotia mouldings. The 1st floor structure is plain late C16 work. In the chamber is a fine early C17 scheme of moulded plaster, with various motifs including a vinescroll frieze and fleurs-de-lys. A small area of ceiling is enriched with putti, probably a fragment. The original cross-entry received a large chimney, with lintelled hall fireplace. The service range to left has plain framing and a wide lintelled kitchen fireplace all of late C16.

Listing NGR: TM0696359898