Disused Farmhouse In Lanow Farmyard

This is a disused farmhouse located within Lanow Farmyard, dating to approximately the late 16th or early 17th century. It is constructed of stone rubble and cob, built upon bedrock, with a scantle slate roof featuring gable ends and where visible, the remains of chimney shafts. The original plan comprised two rooms and a through passage. There’s no visible evidence of a fireplace in the lower left-hand room, suggesting it may have been unheated, or the fireplace has been blocked or removed. The hall on the right was originally heated by a projecting front lateral stack, and the chamber above the hall by a gable end stack. A remaining stone newel stair is found in a rear projection adjoining the higher side of the rear entrance.

The two-storey, symmetrical four-window front indicates partial rebuilding, with some exposed cob infill where the outer skin of masonry has deteriorated. The left-hand gable end has been partly rebuilt, while the right-hand side is slightly forward, incorporating the projection of the stone rubble front lateral hall stack, of which only the base remains. The entrance is positioned to the right of centre, featuring a granite four-centred arch with chamfer and pyramid stops. Ground-floor window openings have been altered, with a door inserted into a former window opening to the left. The first floor retains four window openings, two of which have shutters.

The rear elevation incorporates the stair projection and adjoining external stone steps. A lean-to outshut is attached to the rear of the right-hand room.

Internally, internal partitions have been removed, and the floor joists and ceiling above the left-hand room replaced around the early 20th century. The right-hand room retains chamfered ceiling beams with hollow stepped stops. The large hall fireplace has a chamfered granite lintel with pyramid stops. The remains of the stone newel stair are also present in the hall, adjoining the higher side of the rear entrance. The first-floor fireplace in the right-hand gable end has an unmoulded timber lintel, supported on possibly renewed, unmoulded timber corbelled brackets, with masonry set forward above the lintel. Further remains of the stone newel stairs are found in a rear stair turret. The roof structure, dating to around the mid-17th century, comprises nine bays with principals exhibiting slightly curved feet and morticed apices; cambered collars halved, lap-jointed, and pegged onto the face of the principals, and trenched purlins.

Historically, the manor of Lanow was held by the Beavilles and then the Grenvills. It was sold by Sir Bevill Grenvil to William Noye, Attorney-General to Charles I.