Helstone Manor

Helstone Manor is a farmhouse of circa early 17th-century date, possibly with earlier origins, which was substantially remodelled in the early 18th century and again in the 19th century. The building is constructed of stone rubble, rendered on the front elevation, with a rag slate roof.

The roof comprises gable ends to the front range, a gable end to the rear wing on the left continued with a lower hipped roof to the rear. The service range on the left has been reduced in height and has a corrugated asbestos lean-to roof. There are rendered end stacks to the front, a stone rubble gable end stack to the left hand rear wing, and a projecting stone rubble side lateral stack to the continuation of the rear wing.

The plan has been substantially altered and the original arrangement is uncertain. The house as it now exists comprises a two-room and cross passage plan with a lower single-room range on the rear left, forming an overall L-shaped plan. On the left hand side of the rear wing is a further range extending to the left, comprising an unheated service room that was converted from a shippon within the last 40 years.

The earlier house appears to have comprised the left hand room of the front range, the rear left hand wing, the reduced service range, and a through passage between the rear wing and service range. In circa early 18th century, the house was remodelled. The front wing on the left, which had originally a gable end to the road, was extended to the right to form a front range of two rooms and cross passage plan, with an early 18th-century stair in a projection to the rear of the passage. The front was remodelled and the roof altered with gable ends to right and left.

The exterior presents two storeys with a symmetrical three-window front to the remodelled range. The windows have been replaced in the 20th century. There is a central rendered gabled porch with a 20th-century door and six-pane sashes on the first floor. A blocked door opening appears in the left hand gable end. Set back to the left is the probable earlier entrance, which has a chamfered granite lintel. The service range on the left has a 20th-century window and plank door.

Internally, the cross passage in the circa early 18th-century range is flanked by thin partition walls and contains a circa early 18th-century stair to the rear with turned balusters and square newels. The left hand room has chamfered ceiling beams with stops, probably buried, and a circa late 17th-century bolection moulded chimneypiece, partly remodelled in the 20th century. Several raised and fielded panelled doors survive on the ground and first floors, and to first floor cupboards with HL hinges. The roof structure is not accessible, although there is evidence that the left hand room of the front range originally had a gabled end to the front.