Stowford Manor

Farmhouse. Dating from the late 15th century, with additions and alterations in the 16th, 17th, and 19th centuries. Constructed of random rubble stone with a stone slate roof and stone stacks. The house is two storeys and an attic, with a 4-window front. A Tudor-arched ledged door with a hoodmould is positioned to the left of centre, alongside a 3-light mullioned casement with arched lights and a hoodmould. To the right are two similar 3-light mullioned casements grouped under a single hoodmould. The first floor features two 4-light mullioned casements with hoodmoulds and king mullions, a single arched light above the door, and two attic gables with blocked 2-light mullioned casements. All windows include arched lights. A cross wing projects to the right, featuring a 4-light mullioned casement with a king mullion on both ground and first floors. The right return of the wing possesses an unusual projecting two-storey bay to the left with blocked mullioned and transomed windows. The bay has a saddleback coped verge with carved animals and a broken finial, partially concealed by a lean-to addition. A large lateral stack is located to the right, with a mullioned casement on the ground floor. A 15th-century two-light window is situated to the right of the stack, with cusped pointed lights. A rear wing projecting to the northeast has a buttress and a mullioned and transomed window with an inserted door facing south; the north side has scattered fenestration, including 19th and 16th-century windows. The rear of the cross wing displays a 3-light mullioned casement on both ground and first floors, while a planked door in a chamfered case is on the west side. The rear of the main range incorporates a lean-to verandah and casements. The left return features a 2-light mullioned casement to the ground floor and a 3-light casement to the first floor, together with a gabled stack. A wing to the left has a gabled projecting stack with a 2-light ground floor casement, while the left-hand bay has 3-light mullioned casements on both ground and first floors. The rear gable end of this wing showcases a 2-light mullioned casement to the first floor and a single-light to the attic. Internally, the main range has a winding newel staircase on the rear wall, a moulded Tudor-arched fireplace in a room to the left of the entrance, and a room to the right which features a Tudor-arched fireplace and deep chamfered beams, likely covering a former open hall. The cross wing to the east includes moulded cross beams in the kitchen, good planked doors in chamfered cases with stop-chamfered spine beams with run-out stops, some plank and muntin partition, stone Tudor-arched fireplaces, including a particularly large fireplace in the northeast wing. The roof of the main range, which was inaccessible during a 1987 survey, is said to contain arch-braced collar truss roofs over the former open hall, as well as windbraces. The cross wing roof features curved principals. This house was evidently of considerable importance during the late 15th and 16th centuries.