Albans Farmhouse

Albans Farmhouse is a timber-framed farmhouse with origins in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. It underwent significant rebuilding in the 18th century and was renovated in 1988. The lower level is constructed with Flemish bond brickwork, featuring decorative burnt elements, while the timber frame above is clad with peg-tile. The stacks are largely brick, with the kitchen stack having a sandstone base and the east stack base retaining early 16th/17th century sandstone blocks with small brick corners. The roof is covered in peg-tiles.

The farmhouse is situated on a spur and faces north-northwest. Originally built with a two-room plan, it features gable-end stacks, the east one projecting. A direct entrance leads into the larger front right room. Integral outshots are located across the back inside the original kitchen, with a stack at the left end. A central staircase within the outshots was added in 1988 but likely occupies the original position.

The building consists of two storeys with attic space, a cellar, and lean-to outshots to the rear, with a 20th-century outshot on the left end.

The front facade presents a near-symmetrical appearance with late 19th/early 20th-century casement windows featuring glazing bars. The front door, slightly right of centre, is a late 19th/early 20th-century part-glazed six-panel door set within a 20th-century gabled porch. A section of 20th-century brickwork to the left marks the location of a blocked doorway, indicating the house was formerly divided into two cottages. The main roof is gable-ended with three front-facing gabled dormers. The rear roof extends over the outshots, incorporating two large gabled dormer windows.

The interior reveals much exposed carpentry, including reused timbers. Wall framing features slender timbers with straight tension braces. The ground floor front rooms have chamfered crossbeams with scroll stops. Fireplaces have been largely rebuilt with brick and plain oak lintels, some of which are replacements. A brick-lined staircase descends to the cellar, which includes wine rack niches. The first floor displays slender crossbeams set at an angle to the outer walls. The roof structure comprises tie-beam trusses with staggered butt purlins and raking struts.