Slads Farmhouse, Threshing Barn and Stables

Slads Farmhouse, Threshing Barn and Stables

This is a grade II listed farmstead comprising a main house and agricultural buildings, developed over several centuries.

The farmhouse consists of three distinct phases dating from the early 18th century to the early 19th century. The building is unified by an overall coating of render but is likely constructed of Cotswold rubble stone. The east range has a stone slate roof while the remaining two ranges have fishscale tiled roofs, as does the open porch to the east range.

The plan comprises a two-storey farmhouse with cellars. The east range forms a U-shaped plan with a single-storey range of ancillary buildings. The farmhouse extends to the west with two distinct single-depth, two-storey ranges.

The south elevation forms the principal façade showing two building phases. To the left is a two-bay, two-storey range with hipped dormers to the attic and gable-end stacks. To the right is a three-bay, two-storey range with gable-end stack and an open porch to the ground floor. This range forms a U-shaped plan with the single-storey range of ancillary buildings which abuts the east elevation and continues to the south, forming a courtyard. The east range has been extended to the rear with the original rear wall retained to the interior and absorbed by a catslide roof. The building to the rear comprises a three-bay range with axial and gable-end stacks. To the left of centre is a gabled porch with a four-centred arch opening. Angled buttresses sit at the corners of this range. To the south-west elevation are two adjoining lean-tos. The fenestration comprises a mixture of sash windows, Yorkshire sash windows and casements.

Internally, the phased development is readable. The east range comprises a two-room plan. One room now serves as the hall and provides access to the later additions. The other room contains opposing fireplaces, although a partition has been inserted, a cross beam, and a winder staircase to the left of the east fireplace. The rear wall survives and includes a six-pane window to the ground and first floor. The single-storey rear addition includes a large fireplace to the east gable wall and provides access to the cellar via a door formed of upright struts providing ventilation. The west ranges comprise large reception rooms to the front and rear. The rear reception room includes a cast-iron arch grate with tiled inserts and marble surround, a wooden cupboard with linenfold carving, and cornicing. The upper floors are accessed via an early 19th-century staircase with ramped handrails. At first floor is a winder staircase providing access to attic accommodation. All bedrooms on the first floor of the later ranges have cast-iron grates of various designs and wooden surrounds. With the exception of several Edwardian doors, the surviving six-panel and plank doors with associated door furniture, including leaf-shaped ends to door handles, are largely late 18th century.

To the south-east of the farmhouse stands the threshing barn and attached stables, forming an L-shaped plan of five bays, dating to the early 18th century.

The barn and stables are constructed of coursed rubble stone with ashlar dressings. The threshing barn has a stone slate roof with a stone ball finial surmounted by a weather vane at the ridge. The stables have a corrugated iron roof.

The threshing barn has opposing double doors in projecting gable-end porches, with a side door to the porch facing the farmyard. To the right of the porch is a lean-to extension built of stone to the front and brick to the side elevation. The east gable end has a pitch hole with large stone jambs, cill and lintel, beneath a stone relieving arch. The stables comprise a two-opening range with two stable doors and three windows to the ground floor, and a taking-in door to the hayloft above.

Inside the threshing barn, over the porch, is a granary. The roof trusses are 19th century, denoted by iron fixings, and are formed from collars with king posts and angled struts, with entrenched purlins to the principal rafters. The stables retain their trough, manger, and first-floor hayloft with boarded floor. The boarded partition of the hayloft features a daisy wheel. The roof structure of the stables is a pegged double-collar construction.