Hempstead Manor Farmhouse

Hempstead Manor Farmhouse is a manor house, later adapted as a farmhouse, dating back to the 15th century. It comprises a two-bay great hall to the east and a four-bay wing running north to south, linked by a block containing an early 17th-century staircase, which is externally of the early 19th century, and with a front elevation re-faced in the early 19th century. The building forms a roughly L-shaped plan. It is timber-framed, with close-studding visible on the east wing, but otherwise re-fronted with early 19th-century brickwork, with some weatherboarding to the north. The roof is tiled, with fretted wooden bargeboards to the gables, and brick chimneystacks. The two-storey west front has five windows and two gables. Sash windows are fitted throughout. The east front features two 12-pane sashes to the first floor, two taller 12-pane sashes to the ground floor, and a round-headed staircase window on the extreme right. The north side of the east wing displays exposed close-studding with a midrail, traces of original window openings to the right, and a curved bow to the left. The east and south fronts of this wing are covered in early 19th-century brickwork, but close-studding remains behind the east wall. The south front includes a projecting left-hand gable with a mid-19th-century sash window, a further tripartite 19th-century window, and a gabled 19th-century porch that obscures a 15th-century arched doorcase with roll-moulding and spandrels bearing a stag and fleur-de-lys.

The interior of the great hall to the east features two bays with an octagonal crownpost, tall arched braces, close-studding and roll-moulding to the east wall, and an arched doorcase with a lion and unicorn in the spandrels. Elaborate 17th-century panelling with circular motifs is also present. Behind the Great Hall is an unusual 17th-century staircase with thick turned balusters, corner posts with ball finials, and a carved panel beneath the balusters. There’s also an 18th-century alcove with shelves and Gibbs surround, and a round-headed doorcase with Gibbs surround and a half-glazed door. The north-south wing has four bays; a ground floor room to the north has a dragon beam and unchamfered beams. A two-bay room features an open fireplace and a ceiling with chamfered beams, lambs’ tongue stops, and the top of an arched doorcase with spandrels. The upper floor has jowled posts, curved brace and tie beams. The roof of this section appears to have been altered in the 18th century, incorporating a queenpost and side purlins. The building clearly represents a house of some significance, though very little documentary information exists about it; the carvings in the door spandrels may relate to a royal marriage or visit.