Albans Farmhouse

TQ 64 SW PEMBURY ROMFORD ROAD

5/425 Albans Farmhouse

II

Farmhouse, once 2 cottages. Late C16/early C17 origins, much rebuilt in the C18, renovated in 1988. Timber-framed on coursed sandstone footings. Ground floor level is underbuilt with Flemish bond brick with decorative burnt heads, timber frame above is hung with peg-tile. Stacks are mostly brick with brick chimneyshafts, kitchen stack has sandstone base and front east stack base is late C16/early C17, coursed blocks of sandstone with small early brick corners. Peg-tile roof.

Plan: Farm is built on the crest of a spur and faces north north west, say north. It has a 2-room plan and both rooms have gable-end stacks, the left (east) one with the early base projects. Direct entry into the larger front right room. Integral outshots across the back inside the original kitchen with a stack at the left end. Main stair in the centre of the outshots was built in 1988 but probably in the same position as the original.

House is 2 storeys with attics in the roofspace, a cellar and lean-to outshots to rear and C20 outshot on the left end.

Exterior: Nearly symmetrical 3-window front of late C19/early C20 casements with glazing bars. Front doorway is a little right of centre. It contains a late C19/early C20 part-glazed 6-panel door behind a C20 gabled porch. Alongside to left is a patch of C20 brickwork representing the blocked doorway from when the house was divided into 2 cottages. Main roof is gable-ended and contains 3 front gabled dormers. To rear roof is carried down over the outshots and there are 2 large gabled dormer windows.

Interior: Much of the carpentry is exposed. It includes many reused timbers. The wall framing is of relatively slender scantling with straight tension braces. Ground floor front rooms have chamfered crossbeams with some scroll stops. The fireplaces are much rebuilt; brick with plain oak lintels (some are replacements). Curving stair down to cellar is lined with brick and cellar includes wine rack niches. The first floor has a series of slender crossbeams set at an angle to the outer walls. Roof of tie-beam trusses with staggered butt purlins and raking struts.

Listing NGR: TQ6440542110