The Manor And Warne Cottage

The Manor and Warne Cottage

A formerly separate manor house and cottage, now forming one combined dwelling. The building dates from the early 16th century, with a datestone recording 1577 for T. Warren. The early 17th century saw further development, followed by alterations in the 18th century, probably the 19th century, and minor alterations in the early and mid 20th century.

The structure is built of roughly squared, coursed stone beneath a stone slate roof. The plan comprises a three-room wing on the right with a gable to the road, a lower extension beyond, a short link on the left to a 'U'-shaped plan block, with a long rear wing. The building is two and a half storeys throughout, with all sections one room deep.

The right wing facing the road features a plinth, mullioned windows with hollow chamfers and arched heads to the lights, and sunk spandrels with hoodmoulds. A projecting chimney rises from the gable with a string course, stone offsets, and an ashlar stack topped with a moulded cap. Single slits flank the attic, beneath a parapet gable. On the right return, a four-light window is positioned above a boarded door reached by three stone steps. The door has a double ovolo surround, a four-centred arch with carved spandrels, a strapwork frieze above, and a moulded cornice. A two-light window sits above a three-light window in the plinth serving a cellar, which has a plain chamfer and flat head. The lower wing beyond displays a right gable of stone slate.

The left return contains a three-light window to the ground and first floors, and a four-light casement in a gabled dormer with king-post and curved braces, with render between. A short link leads to the 'U'-shaped block, which has a slit window to the stairs. The right wing of the 'U' is wider than the left, with a four-light mullioned window with hollow chamfer and hoodmould. A boarded door with cover strips stands in a recess, with a semi-circular headed small door cut into it, featuring a chamfered arris and flat stone lintel, with a datestone above. The left wing of the 'U' has a single light in the return, a three-light mullion and transom to the front with hoodmould, and to the left jamb, traces of a former sash window with a deep stone lintel. Above these, the right wing displays a three-light mullioned window with hollow chamfer and hoodmould, with a similar two-light over the door. Single-light windows light the centre returns to the wings. The left wing has a two-light mullion and transom window, while the right wing has a two-light mullioned window with hoodmould and a single-light window. Parapet gables with cross-gablet apices and finials crown the structure. Ashlar chimneys with moulded caps sit on the parapet gable at the left end and on the ridge to the right of the door.

The interior reveals some walls to be timber-framed. Jacobean decoration appears on the inside door. The dogleg stairs feature square newels, turned balusters, a pulvinated string, and a moulded handrail. A spiral stone stair with wood treads leads off to the front, with exposed beams and ceiling joists visible. The front room of the right wing contains a wide stone fireplace, an eight-fielded-panel door, an 18th-century cupboard with a semi-circular back and head with a panelled door below and fielded panel above, and a moulded plaster ceiling. The room to the left has a wide stone fireplace with a flat three-centred arch in a timber lintel with a moulded edge, an oven and stone seat off the fireplace on the left, panelled shutters, and a ceiling divided into eight by long and cross beams.

On the first floor, three-panel doors lead to the landing in the right wing, and a three-board door with a very old lock accesses the spiral stairs. The front room of the right wing contains a stone fireplace and lintel with traces of 16th-century wall painting and exposed beam and joists in the ceiling. The room to the left has a stone fireplace surround with a moulded shelf and a cast-iron fireback decorated with two figures, plus two panelled doors. The roof structure shows trusses with tie-beam and angled struts, one pair of purlins, and a square ridge.

The right wing dates from the early 16th century as a cross wing, while the 'U'-shaped range was built in 1577, partly on the site of an open hall. The interior of Warne Cottage was not inspected during the survey.