Broadfield

Broadfield is a former farmhouse of late 16th-century origin, extended and re-roofed in the mid to late 19th century, with late 20th-century renovations. The 16th-century build is of framed construction with the ground floor underbuilt in brick, probably in the 19th century, and tile-hung to the first floor. The 19th-century addition is brick with blue headers to the ground floor and tile-hung first floor. The building is roofed in peg tiles with brick stacks throughout.

The plan is approximately T-shaped. The 16th-century block, which faces east, originally contained three rooms with a lobby entrance on the east side against an axial stack that heats the centre room, flanked by unheated service rooms. A one-room rear wing at right angles, possibly the original kitchen but largely rebuilt in the 20th century, was extended in the mid to late 19th century by a single-room addition heated from a lateral stack on the south side. The 16th-century wing was probably downgraded to a kitchen at this time, as evidenced by bread ovens cut into the fireplace, and was re-roofed to provide extra attic height.

The building is two storeys with an asymmetrical east elevation of two windows, blind to the left of centre, with two 4-light central casements probably dating to the 19th century with square leaded panes, and a small 19th-century 2-light timber casement to the ground floor right. A 19th-century plank door leads to the lobby entrance to the right of centre. The north elevation contains 19th and 20th-century casements, some with square leaded panes. The south elevation, the present entrance front, features regular 2-light windows to the left belonging to the 19th-century block, with first floor casements of square leaded panes and ground floor windows as 2-light transomed casements. Windows to the earlier build on the right are 3-light 19th or 20th-century casements, mostly with square leaded panes. A 20th-century porch has been added in the angle between the kitchen and main block of the 16th-century build.

The 16th-century part of the house preserves much original carpentry, though the roof construction above the collar purlin is a 19th-century replacement. The wall framing, partly exposed on the first floor, preserves a tension brace at the north end and two plain 2-light unglazed windows, now blocked. The wall plate is supported on flared jowel posts. The cross partition between the centre and south rooms is of heavy scantling and has been removed above collar purlin level. On the ground floor, the centre room preserves a massive open fireplace with sandstone jambs and a chamfered oak lintel. The fireback is partly stone and partly brick, with a bread oven cut into it and a second blocked oven in the left-hand jamb. The longitudinal ceiling beam has step jowel stops and chamfered stopped joists. A winder stair with a 17th or early 18th-century ledged door leads from the first floor to the attic in the south-west corner; the attic is floored with massive, wide oak boards. The rear wing of the 16th-century block has been much renewed using old timbers, and the fireplace is largely 20th-century.

The roof was originally presumed to be side purlin construction; the common rafters have been replaced, probably in the 19th century, with a ridge board.

Documentation in the possession of the owners refers to the site in 1454. This is an interesting evolved house with early carpentry preserved internally. The Victorian extension is sympathetic in regard to scale and materials.