Penarth House

Penarth House is a largely 18th-century timber-framed house, with evidence of earlier structural elements. The house is formed around a central hall, with symmetrical cross wings extending to the flanks. There is evidence of a medieval timber-framed cruck roof within the central hall, featuring a through purlin base cruck truss with elbow blades rising to a collar, forming a semicircular arch. Principals with V-struts rest on the collar to form the apex, and the front wall is lined with later stonework. The ceiling is framed in three ways, with stop-chamfered spine beams and run-out stops. A central stack was reworked in the 19th century; a hearth on the west side was removed, creating an entrance passage with a partitioned-off parlour constructed of brick. A later chimney was inserted into the parlour, featuring staggered dragon beams and double ogee moulded counterchanging ceilings. A close-studded partition between the hall and kitchen retains some possible medieval work, alongside a stone chimney with a plain mantel beam. An early 19th-century staircase is located in an outshot extension at the rear.

The central hall has a close-studded front with a four-light, small-paned mullioned window to the first floor on the right, and a further three-light window set between the studding to the left. A four-light mullion and transom window with small panes is located to the ground floor on the right, featuring ovolo mouldings. A later, possibly 19th-century, timber porch is located to the left, with a 19th-century panelled door.

The cross wings have herring-bone framing to jettied attics, with double ogee-moulded cambered bressumers on end brackets. Herring-bone framing extends to the jettied first storey, incorporating dragonbeams and angle brackets; similar jetties are present on the flanks. Three-light casement windows with small panes and ovolo mouldings are present. The ground floors have close studding and a plastered plinth, with three-light mullion and transom windows with small panes, also ovolo moulded. Later lean-to outshots have close studding to the front with small-paned cross windows, while lighter square framing is found on the flanks with brick plinths. An outshot to the right end functions as a modern entrance porch.

The house is roofed with steeply pitched modern slate, with bargeboards, and features 19th-century stone stacks with brick caps. At the rear of the west (parlour) cross wing, the first floor is jettied with a dragonbeam to the right and an angle bracket. A re-positioned beam replaces the left dragonbeam. The attic and first floor are herringbone framed, with a three-light casement window with small panes. At ground floor level, a broad two-light casement window with small panes is present.

A rear outshot to the hall is square framed, with a gabled dormer to the left featuring a small-paned cross window, and a 19th-century multi-paned stair window to the right. The rear of the east (kitchen) cross wing has close studding to the first floor, with two modern small-paned casements. A slated stone oven projection is present to the left, with lighter square framing adjoining; this elevation shows evidence of later repair.