Rake Farmhouse And Attached Outbuildings

Rake Farmhouse is a 1749 farmhouse, restored in the 20th century, with attached outbuildings. It is constructed of dressed local stone and has a clay pantile roof. The house is a two-story double-depth dwelling with a single-story extension to the rear, which links to outbuildings, forming a courtyard to the side.

The south facade features a central doorway with a round-headed arch supported by projecting stone consoles and a prominent keystone dated 1749. Modern wooden panelled door. To the left are two rectangular windows with modern casements set in square-cut stone jambs. To the right are two matching windows and a further smaller one. A projecting string-course runs at first-floor level. The first floor has two series of small round-arched stone window-heads of four lights divided by stone mullions, with modern sash windows; a single window of the same type is above the front door. Kneelers are prominent at the corners, and the gables are raised at each end. Stone chimneys are at each gable end.

The west face has a small four-pane sash window within the roof space to the right of the chimney stack, and a blocked window to the left. The east face has a single-paned small window in the roof space to the right of the chimney stack, a blocked doorway with a heavy stone lintel towards the right, and two projecting stones near the top of the gable, to either side of the chimney stack.

The rear extension is a single-story, two-bay structure of dressed stone under a clay pantile roof. There is evidence on the west face of an earlier small outshot. The east side has a door and two windows, and the north side has a modern bay window and two windows. A central chimney has a reused stone in the stack with an upside-down date and initials.

The north face (rear) features a large modern bay window to the right, a small round-arched window to the centre, similar to the first-floor windows at the front, a small two-light window with a stone mullion to the first floor, and a further modern first-floor window.

The interior was not examined but ground floor rooms are said to have exposed beams. The outbuildings are of dressed stone with clay pantile roofs and raised gables. A low, single-story range extends east of the house, connecting to the main house extension. A two-story range with a barn door and external staircase, re-roofed with new pantiles, is at right angles to the first range. An attached single-story range runs parallel to the first range, featuring a ball finial on the west gable. The buildings create a paved courtyard to the west of the house, and their style is consistent with that of the main house. The farmhouse appears largely unaltered externally apart from the new windows, which mostly respect original openings. There are alterations at the sides and rear, but the front is largely original. The outbuildings are an integral part of the farm complex and are likely 18th century, although probably added later.