Lower Trossell Farmhouse

Lower Trossell Farmhouse

A farmhouse probably dating to the 16th century, heavily remodelled in the early 17th century. The lower end was partly demolished in the 20th century. The building is constructed of rendered and painted stone rubble and cob, with a roof of rag slate and scantle slate with gable ends. Stone rubble axial stacks with brick and stone rubble shafts serve the chimneys.

The original plan is uncertain but was probably a 2-room plan with through passage. The hall on the right may have originally been open to the roof, though it was probably always heated by an axial stack backing onto the passage. The lower end on the left was probably originally 2-storey, with a stair rising from the rear wall of the hall close to the fireplace, providing access to the chamber above the passage and lower end.

In the early 17th century the house underwent considerable remodelling. A floor was inserted in the hall and a 2-storey oriel projection or hall bay was added to the front right-hand side. The house was extended with an inner room directly to the rear of the hall, creating an overall L-shaped plan. The inner room was heated by an axial stack backing onto the rear wall of the hall. A stair projection was added on the right-hand side of the house, approached from the hall and providing access to the chambers above the hall and inner room. The lower end was reduced in size during the 20th century.

The exterior is 2 storeys with an asymmetrical 2-window front. The entrance is to the left of centre, with a 2-storey gabled oriel or hall bay to the right. A chamfered granite 3-centred arch with lopsided convex stops and a 20th-century door form the entrance. A 20th-century window to the left is matched by another 20th-century window above. To the right is a small 19th-century window and a gabled 2-storey bay with 20th-century windows on the ground and first floors. The granite cills of this bay are constructed from re-used labels from 17th-century mullion windows. An early unmoulded 2-light mullion window lights the stair.

Interior features include a blocked through passage to the rear. The remains of the lower end ground floor have been remodelled as a bathroom in the 20th century. The hall to the right is heated by an axial stack backing onto the passage. The lintel has been burnt out and replaced, but remains in the garden show a deeply chamfered lintel with stepped and ogee stops. A cloam oven with metal door is present. On the rear wall near the fireplace is the site of an earlier turreted or newel stair. Chamfered floor joists are stopped with stepped and ogee stops. Similar stops appear on the doorframe of the stair projection on the right. The fireplace of the inner room is blocked but is believed to have had a granite surround and possibly some plasterwork. A 19th-century stair occupies the 17th-century stair projection.

On the first floor, complete chamfered door frames to the chambers above the hall and inner room feature stepped and ogee stops.

The roof structure above the hall comprises one clean truss, probably a raised jointed cruck truss morticed at the apex, with a high collar that is dovetailed, notched and lap-jointed of fine quality. Two sets of deeply trenched purlins are present. The roof structure at the hipped end indicates later remodelling. The roof structure above the passage and truncated lower end is boxed in. Above the inner room is at least one truss with a morticed apex and either morticed collars or halved, lap-jointed and pegged collars, though the far side of the truss is not accessible. Several of the trusses have been paired with later trusses, and all appear clean.