Kenniford Farmhouse

Kenniford Farmhouse is a 17th-century farmhouse, likely built by William Osborne, born in 1623 and died in 1705. It may have incorporated the footings and some ceiling beams from an earlier building, with later alterations. The farmhouse is constructed of brick in English bond, set on sandstone footings, with a concrete tiled hipped roof covering most of the building and a slate gabled roof at the service end. Originally a 3-room, cross-passage plan house, it includes a wing containing a mid to late 17th-century staircase to the rear of the hall and a second, largely 19th-century staircase to the front of the service wing. The service-end front wing retains some original fabric but is mostly from the 19th century. The lower roof ridge line of the service end indicates the rest of the house was likely heightened in the 17th century.

A partially dismantled external stone end stack with a bake oven once heated the service end, while an internal rear lateral brick stack heated the hall. A brick end stack in the rear wing is corbelled out at first-floor level, with the shaft dismantled. A late 19th or 20th-century internal stack is located at the right-hand end. The front of the farmhouse has a symmetrical four-window range, featuring large metal casement windows on both the main range and the wing. A 17th-century moulded door surround leads into the cross passage, which lacks a rear door. A plat band runs around all sides except the rendered brick end wall of the right-hand wing, also circling the single 2-light first-floor window of the rear wing. Rear windows are from the mid to late 20th century, and a large 20th-century leanto extends from the rear.

Inside, the main range rooms have ceiling cross beams – three in the hall and service end, chamfered with scroll stops; two in the inner room, one set very high and one supported by a moulded upright and corbel. The main staircase rises through three storeys to the attic, with turned balusters, square section newels (formerly with finials, one pendant surviving), a pulvinated string, and intact treads and risers. The service-end stairs are 19th century, but the first-floor door frames leading from them to the upper rooms are original 17th-century, with ovolo and fillet moulding, scroll stops and a diamond above. There are contemporary plank doors with strap hinges, one set with fleur-de-lys ends, and another with big moulded depressed panels. The wing roof has two trusses with long, straight, sawn principals morticed at the apex and pegged tie beams, which may be 17th century. The service end roof is 19th century; the main roof is entirely 20th century.