Ashwell Farmhouse

SS 51 SE 5/36

DOLTON SS 51 SE Ashwell Farmhouse

II

Farmhouse. Mid C17 with C19 and C20 additions. Plastered cob walls. Hipped thatch roof. Rendered axial stack. Plan: 2-room plan with baffle entry in front of axial stack which heats both rooms. Larger hall to right, probably parlour to the left with shallow 2-storeyed porch in front of entry. Original position of stairs unclear - they are now at the end of the right-hand room. In the C19 and C20 outshuts were added along the rear wall. Exterior: 2 storeys. Asymmetrical 4-window front of mainly late C19 or early C20 2-light small-paned casements. 1st floor right-hand window is a C17 small chamfered 2-light wooden mullion window with decorative leaded lights. Shallow 2 storey porch to left of centre has a square doorway with a C19 plank door behind it. At the rear is a C19 outshut to right and a C20 one to its left, both have plank doors. To right of centre above the outshuts is a C17 chamfered wooden framed leaded light. Interior: hall has open fireplace with chamfered wooden lintel. Left-hand room has fireplace with chamfered and jewel-stopped wooden lintel. Cloam oven with door. Roof: consists of substantial straight principal rafters which are crossed at the apex with a diagonal ridge. Purlins are trenched with collars lapped on or slightly set in. The timbers are all slightly darkened but it seems unlikely that this would be smoke-blackening. This is a unaltered farmhouse with a very picturesque exterior forming part of a traditional farm group and with great landscape value.

Listing NGR: SS5540213236