Great Lea Farmhouse

Great Lea Farmhouse is a timber-framed farmhouse, probably dating from the early 17th century, with additions and alterations made in the early 19th century, the mid-to-late 19th century, around 1927, and again around 1998. The original 17th-century wing has timber framing with wattle and daub infill, with the east gable later rendered to resemble ashlar, while the rest of this wing has been clad in brick. Further additions are of red brick in a Flemish bond pattern, with plain tile roofs and brick stacks. It is thought that the 17th-century wing was originally part of a larger house.

The east-facing (garden) elevation has three distinct bays: a two-storey gabled 17th-century wing on the right, a one-and-a-half-storey early 19th-century bay in the centre, and a two-storey gabled bay dating from around 1927 on the left. A mid-to-late 19th-century, single-storey, four-bay dairy addition projects from the right. The 17th-century wing features a four-pane casement window on the left and a wider window with paired four-light casements on the right. On the first floor is a tripartite window with panes of 2, 4, and 2. Exposed purlin ends are visible, along with a large, cross-ridge stack with two flues. The central section has a partially glazed door on the right and a 12-pane sash window under a segmental brick arch on the left, and a similar first-floor window rising through the eaves under the gable. A stack rises from the front roof pitch on the right. The left bay has a 16-pane sash window to each floor. The rear elevation includes a 20th-century porch over an outshut belonging to the 17th-century wing and a porch to the right of the central section. Various small-pane casements and sash windows are also present, mirroring those on the front. The dairy has a corrugated-iron outshut roof over a three-bay loggia with a solid-walled section to the right, plus decorative, cusped, and fretted bargeboards to the gable.

Inside the 17th-century wing is a central stack, originally with back-to-back fireplaces. The kitchen has a chamfered cross-beam with a stepped cyma stop. A wall-post is visible on the ground floor, with further exposed framing on the first floor, including a section in the southwest corner with a mid-rail, studs, and wall-plate. A similar timber arrangement exists in the southeast corner, incorporating straight braces. The east room showcases the principal rafters, purlins, and large-scantling curved wind braces of the roof structure. The original three-bay roof structure survives, including full-height cross-walls between the bays, with the eastern one remaining. Old floorboards are also present. The roof contains collared queen-post trusses with tie-beams, principal rafters, and clasped purlins, along with curved wind braces and paired rafters, some of which show signs of soot, indicating re-use. The dairy boasts mid-to-late 19th-century features such as a tiled floor, walls, and shelves, together with matching tiling and a wash-copper in the 17th-century wing. The main entrance hall has a polychromatic tile floor and a polished stone fireplace. Great Lea Farmhouse presents a largely original 17th-century timber-framed range with its original roof structure, complemented by an interesting 19th-century dairy addition.