Manor Farmhouse

Manor Farmhouse is a substantial manor house, traditionally believed to be the birthplace of Fair Rosamund Clifford in 1144, though the earliest part, the southeast corner, likely dates to the early 15th century. The main body of the house was largely built in the early 16th century, with an additional wing to the north added in the late 16th or early 17th century.

The house is constructed with an ashlar ground floor to the main section, contrasted by a close-studded timber-framed upper floor, predominantly featuring S-shaped bracing, beneath a stone slate roof. The southeast wing exhibits large panel framing, while the north wing is constructed with square panels on an ashlar plinth. The rear of the building, and the left return to the east, are faced in brick above the ashlar. The south side features large ashlar stacks, while the east side has brick above an ashlar base, incorporating two very large square flues with decorative caps. The north wing also has two large brick flues with decorative caps.

Originally designed with a three-sided courtyard plan, service wings to the north, set on an ashlar plinth, create a U-shaped configuration. The main part of the house has a rear wing to the left, considered the oldest section, with a jettied gable to the front left and a two-story projecting porch to the right. The house is predominantly two stories and an attic in height. The ground floor features two 6-light stone mullioned windows with arched lights, king mullions, releaded early glass, and square hoodmolds with pentagonal stops. Narrow wooden arched lights are present on the first floor. The jettied end to the left is supported by a molded wooden bressumer, as is the jetty on the porch to the right, which has an arched opening with a square hoodmould, stone seats, and double vertical battened doors leading to the interior. The north service wing has scattered window openings, including one early 6-pane wooden light at the far right. The southeast wing is also jettied to the east and demonstrates arched wind bracing in the roof.

Originally, the southeast wing contained a small internal spiral staircase, lit by small stone windows and reached by small pointed archways on each floor; the ground floor door still exists and is associated with the Rosamund legend. Internally, much of the original timber-framed walls and doorways remain, and there are two fine stone fireplaces on each floor, serving the external stacks. The hall to the left of the porch contains a plain molded Perpendicular fireplace and 16th-century arms of the Codrington family in glass to the left. The parlour to the far left boasts a particularly unusual carved fireplace, believed to potentially have a religious connection and possibly originating from elsewhere. A very large, low, chamfered arch is located at the north end of the north wing, likely originally defining the kitchen range.