Looke Farmhouse

SY 58 NW PUNCKNOWLE LOOKE LANE

6/226 Looke Farmhouse 7-8-52 GV II*

Detached Farmhouse. Dated R and M H 1700 on door lintel. Shallow rubble-stone walls, with dressed stone quoins. Stone slab and slate roof, hipped. Four stacks, with stone bases and brick above in extruding Greek Cross plan-form. Plan: double-fronted, single- depth house with attached service range at side. 2 storeys with brick- vaulted basements and attics. 2 windows, sashes with glazing-bars, plain dressed stone surrounds, pulvinated frieze and moulded cornice, with deep segmental pediments having blind carved fanlight decoration with rosettes at the centre. (Pediments only to the ground floor windows). Upper windows have wooden lintels. The 2 basements openings have stone labels and voussoirs over these. Square stone tablet at upper centre with big and small bolection mouldings. Front doorway at centre, (up 5 stone steps), moulded stone jambs and depressed arch head with rosettes in the spandrels. Jambs cut away. Carved and dated lintel, with pulvinated frieze above and same segmental pediment. Carved stone urn sits at top with 3 Green Men carved in low relief. 2 large stone blocks carved as (?) wheatsheaves. Dormer window at centre in roof, 2-light wooden casement with glazing-bars, C20 insertion. Attached range at right hand end, former C18 kitchen block. Rubble-stone walls. Slate roof with stone gable-coping. Tall brick stack at right hand eaves. 2 storeys, lower than the main range. One window, 2-light French window at ground floor with horizontal glazing-bars. 3-light wooden casement above, with wood cill and lintel. Rear extension: Cl9 2 storey pentice-roofed outshut added. Renewed plank door at centre with a wooden lintel over. Interior : lobby-entrance, single depth house with fireplaces set across. corners of the rooms. Doorcase stair from former kitchen to upper rooms.

The house is very unusual in Dorset, both in plan and elevation. RCHM Dorset I, p 190 (4).

Listing NGR: SY5482288812