Tanners Farmhouse

Tanners Farmhouse is an early to mid-17th century farmhouse, possibly with earlier origins, that was later reorganised and refurbished in the late 19th century. It was once used as a vicarage. The farmhouse is timber-framed, with the ground floor underbuilt on a brick plinth of attractive Flemish bond red brick, featuring decorative burnt headers, a chamfered plinth, and a cogged brick cornice. Sandstone footings are exposed on the south end. The framing above the first floor level is clad in red tile, with a regular pattern of rectangular and scallop-shaped tiles on the front and a diaper pattern on the south gable end. Brick stacks and chimneyshafts are present, including a good 17th century staggered chimneyshaft at the south end, and the roof is covered in peg tiles.

The original layout was a two-room plan facing west, with a through passage and main stair between the rooms. A lean-to kitchen extends outshot behind the larger, right (southern) room. Both rooms originally had gable-end stacks, and the kitchen stack backs onto the main block. A late 19th century reorganisation reduced the main block by one room, which was formerly a parlour. The present right room was the kitchen, originally incorporating the present passage, and the left-hand room was an unheated service room. The original house may have had a lobby entrance plan with stairs located behind the stack; the chimneyshaft retains four flues from the 17th century back-to-back fireplaces.

The house is two storeys high with attics in the roof space, and late 19th century lean-to outshots to the rear of the right room.

The front elevation is an attractive three-window arrangement with late 19th century casement windows containing iron glazing bars with a pattern of hexagonal panes. The ground floor windows are set within low segmental brick arches. A late 19th century panelled door is located slightly left of centre, up a couple of concrete steps, and is sheltered by a gabled hood.

The interior modernization appears to have been superficial, and although much of the original fabric is hidden behind late 19th century plaster, it is believed to survive largely intact. The left ground floor room has a plain chamfered crossbeam with plain joists, and a 19th century fireplace inserted into the original service room. The right room (the original 17th century kitchen) has a chamfered axial beam with bar scroll stops that extends across the late 19th century stair and passage. The 17th century kitchen fireplace is blocked, but its large size is evident from the exposed oak lintel with a Tudor arch head. On the first floor, there are plain chamfered axial beams. The roof is structured with collared tie-beam trusses, clasped side purlins, and queen struts.

Tanners Farmhouse is an attractive building and is part of a group of listed buildings near the Church of St Thomas A Becket.