Brook Farmhouse

A 2½-storey 3-unit plan farmhouse, mainly of hand-moulded brick, whitened to the front; slate roof, with brick stacks to the L end, L of centre (serving the former hall), and on the eaves of the advanced R-hand gabled bay. The main range has projecting outer gabled bays giving a shallow U-shaped original plan, to which a rear wing was later added. In the front the original hall is a small bay between the advanced gables, with entrance to R of centre with replacement half-glazed door. Windows (not aligned in central bay) have segmental heads in the lower storey, and are all replacements in earlier openings, of which the lower L and centre are wood-framed casements. In the R-hand bay the first-floor is of C20 machine-moulded brick and the gable is roughcast, replacing earlier timber framing.

The right hand gable return of the main range is largely early brickwork, with exposed timber-framing at gable apex (tie-beam with struts to collar); gabled bay re-faced in C20 brickwork, as is rear of main range to left of rear wing. The left-hand return has blocked doorway in advanced gabled bay that has been converted to a window. Earlier brickwork to rear of main range to right of wing, but with later lean-to at ground floor, and replacement window beneath the eaves.

Rear wing has slightly lower roof-line than main range; 2-storeyed, with dentil eaves and slate roof with end brick stack. Facing the yard to the W it has replacement windows in earlier openings, under a segmental head in the lower storey.

The L gable end of the house also has a small brick lean-to.

The central room, once the hall, has a large timber fireplace lintel with beaded moulding. It has 2 spine beams. The back wall retains a single post of a partition, and is the only visible evidence that the rear of the house might have been timber-framed originally. The R-hand room, probably the parlour end, has a boarded door from the hall in a moulded wooden surround (and probably a timber-framed partition), and has a spine beam retaining an ogee stop. The L-hand room has 2 spine beams. Behind the room is a straight C19 service stair with plain balusters. In the rear wing is an ovolo-moulded cross beam.

The main quarter-turn stair from the hall has been closed in but its moulded handrails remain visible, of uncertain date but of C17 type. Over the staircase are stop-chamfered joists. In the upper storey one C18 door has 2 fielded panels. In the rear wall are 2 timber fragments, both sawn off, which are possibly remains of base crucks.

A dog-leg stair leads to the attic, at the top of which is a C17 newel with finial. One closed truss has queen posts and collar beam, and the roof retains plain windbraces to the rear slope. A second plainer attic stair over the L-hand room is C19 and was probably a service stair.