Wilkes Farmhouse

Wilkes Farmhouse is an early 17th-century farmhouse, with an addition and re-roofing dating to around 1840, and later alterations. It is constructed of limestone rubble with stone dressings, and has slate roofs with raised coped verges and gable stacks. The original plan was of two rooms, with a lobby entry and a rear dairy wing forming an L-shape. A 19th-century addition sits in the angle of this L-plan.

The farmhouse has two storeys and two windows, featuring 2-light casement windows throughout. Ground floor mullions are wave-moulded, while those on the first floor are ovolo-moulded. A central plank and batten door is set within a moulded frame, topped with a 19th-century flat stone hood supported by brackets. The right return has a 2-light casement at ground floor level to the left, a similar window above to the right, and two similar single lights in the attic. A straight joint marks the junction with the 19th-century addition, which has a gable end and ground floor casements with wave-moulded mullions, dripstones, and relieving arches. A similar window is located at the first floor to the left. The left return has a small stair light with leaded lights and an iron stanchion at attic level, a blocked window to the left, and a single light to the right.

The lower, two-storey rear dairy wing has a ground floor with a 3-light wooden casement, a 2-light stone casement with an ovolo mullion and hood mould, and a first floor with a 2-light wooden casement and a 2-light stone ovolo mullion casement, all under the eaves. A formerly central door is now blocked. A lower, single-storey addition to the left provides access via a door. The rear of the 19th-century addition has a door with a dripstone and a matching 2-light casement at first floor. A single-storey addition has a door with strap hinges internally, and a 20th-century window under eaves.

The interior features a splayed lobby entry. The room to the right has stop-chamfered spine beams with run-out stops, and an 18th-century cupboard to the right of the fireplace, featuring shaped shelves and panelled doors. The room to the left has chamfered beams with roll and run-out stops. This room’s fireplace has a heavy, cambered, chamfered timber lintel and a moulded mantel shelf, with an oven recess to the right and a plank and batten door with strap hinges leading to a newel stair rising to the attic. A first-floor room to the right has heavy moulded beams. The attic contains cheese racks and shelves, with the door labelled “CHEESE ROOM”. The roof is a 4-bay structure with cambered collars, one row of purlins and principal rafters. Plain chamfered beams are found in the rear dairy wing.