Drake'S Farmhouse

Drake's Farmhouse is a 16th-century farmhouse. The east gable end was rebuilt in the 19th century, and a north-east wing was added during this time, with further enlargement to the north-west in the 1830s. The farmhouse is constructed of random rubble local stone, with quoins in the wing. It has a thatched roof, hipped to the right, with a rebuilt 20th-century stack on the left gable end, a stone stack to the left of the entrance, and brick stacks in the centre and gable end of the wing. The building follows an L-plan, originally a three-cell layout with a cross passage and later incorporating the north-west wing fronting the road.

The farmhouse is two storeys high and has four bays. A 20th-century window is present on the first floor to the left, alongside a three-light and a three-light leaded iron casement in the end bay to the right. The ground floor includes a 20th-century window, inserted 20th-century French windows, a four-light hollow chamfered Ham stone mullioned window with a hood mould, a 20th-century door with a side light, and a three-light window below a wooden lintel to the right.

The right return is two storeys high with three bays, featuring dressed stone voussoirs to all window openings. There are 20th-century wooden windows in the end bay to the right, while the others have leaded windows with wooden Tudor-arched head frames. These windows provide two- and three-light openings on the first floor, and two- and three-light mullioned and transomed openings on the ground floor. A single-storey lean-to is located at the gable end and incorporates a postal wall box.

The interior includes a partially sighted plink and muntin screen, chamfered on both sides, to the right of the through passage. The main hall is said to contain a large fireplace with a staircase beside it, chamfered beams with step and run-out stops, and a timber-framed partition to an inner room with a heavy doorframe. The upper storey above the hall is said to have a fireplace with a chamfered lintel and scroll stops, along with two jointed cruck trusses forming a four-bay roof.

Historically, the manor of Wambrook was sold to the Drake brothers of London in 1588, and in 1619, they enfranchised most of the tenants’ land, including Drake's House, which is now the farmhouse.