Handale Abbey Farmhouse

Handale Abbey Farmhouse is a mid-18th century farmhouse located off the west side of South Town Lane in Loftus. It incorporates remains of a Cistercian Priory founded in 1133, possibly within the adjoining right wing and outhouse. The building features dressed sandstone with a chamfered plinth, and the ground floor of the wing and outhouse is constructed from coursed sandstone rubble with quoins. The roofs are made of clay pantiles with stone ridges and gable copings, moulded kneelers, and rebuilt brick end stacks.

The farmhouse is two storeys high and has two windows. The central entrance consists of a six-panel door with a panelled mock fanlight, set within a timber modillioned open-pedimented Roman doorcase. On the ground floor, there are 20-pane sash windows beneath plain lintels, which are located below double-keyed lintels. The first floor features tripartite sashes with glazing bars, keyed lintels, and painted sills. The single-bay right wing also has tripartite sash windows with similar features. Adjoining the right end of the wing is a single-storey outhouse that has two square openings with altered glazing and a mid-20th century sliding door to the right. There are garret lights with sashes on the left return of the farmhouse and the right return of the wing. The rear elevation of both the farmhouse and wing displays pent extensions that are in keeping with the overall design.

Inside the farmhouse, there are early 19th century reeded doorcases with paterae at the angles and six-panel doors. The dining room features a dado rail and an elliptical-arched alcove in the rear wall, along with panelled shutters. The lean-to wing at the rear of the outhouse and the farm outbuildings to the northwest have been altered significantly and are not of interest.