Russell'S End

Russell's End is a former farmhouse, now a house and cottage, dating back to the 15th century, with possible origins in the 16th century, and subsequent alterations in the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. The building exhibits a mix of brick-nogged timber-framing, brick rebuilding, and a stone end wing, all under a tiled roof. It has a ‘Z’ plan, comprising a main leg of approximately four or five bays, a framed wing, and a cottage at the opposite end.

The west-facing end of the house, overlooking the old drive, displays a gable to the left belonging to the main block and a wing to the right. The gable features a full cruck construction originally infilled to a height of four panels, with the lower portion now replaced with brickwork. A three-light mullion and transom window is located on the ground floor, topped by a cambered brick arch, with a similar window above. To the right of this window, close-studded timber framing extends to the ground floor, with wider-set studs above. A four-panel door, with the top half glazed and the lower half flush, is situated under an open lean-to porch supported by a timber post. A two-light casement window sits above the door. A large stone external chimney base transitions to brickwork above. Further timber framing, with larger panels, is visible to the right, accommodating blocked windows on both floors. The cross-wing roof terminates in a small hip on the left side, descending to the ridge of the main block.

The left return shows a corner timber post. A section of the wall has been rebuilt in brick, featuring a three-light mullion and transom window with a cambered brick arch, and stone steps leading down to a cellar opening. A slightly projecting brick chimney breast is rendered above the eaves. A similar two-light window is positioned to the left of the chimney, adjacent to a six-panel door under a cambered brick arch. Surviving timber framing leads to a 20th-century casement window. A two-light casement fills in a blocked door, formerly a cross passage, with a timber Tudor-arch head above a blocked window. Two main posts are adjacent to the former cross passage, followed by later square-panel framing up to the eaves. A four-light mullion and transom window incorporates a half-glazed door. Four gabled dormers, each with a two-light casement window, are present. A stone back wall of the service wing, now a cottage, projects to the left.

Internally, the main wing features three cruck trusses, with the majority cut away below the first-floor level, supporting a single pair of purlins and a square ridge. The truss nearest the gable was likely originally infilled. The kitchen beyond the crucks includes two boarded doors and three-panel cupboard doors with ‘H’ hinges, and a large lateral stack at the rear. The wing to the right of the porch has chamfered beams to the ground floor ceiling, fielded dado panelling, eared surrounds to a fireplace and cupboard door, and close-studded walls in the passage. The roof structure incorporates queen-strut trusses with two pairs of purlins and straight braces to the ends, topped with a square ridge. Originally an open cruck hall, it was later floored over, representing part of a three-bay cruck house. The service end was rebuilt in the 17th century, while the wing towards the solar end is likely earlier and underwent alterations in the 18th century. The interior of the cottage was not inspected.