Pricaston Farmhouse

Pricaston Farmhouse is a ruined large farmhouse that incorporates substantial mediaeval elements within a structure extensively rebuilt around 1700. The building faces east and was vacated by 1938 when the Army Range was established. It is now in ruins and subject to very restricted access, along with its associated farm buildings and outhouses.

The mediaeval elements form the core of the building. At ground storey level, a vaulted through-passage measuring 1.25 metres wide is constructed in limestone ashlar masonry about 0.2 metres thick, set within rubble masonry. Three plain pointed-arch doorways open from the south wall, each just under 1 metre wide, and a similar doorway opens from the west end at just over 1 metre wide. These are all formed in thin ashlar. Two service rooms with very low segmental vaults lie to the south; one is now partly collapsed. The first and second arches provide entry to these rooms, while the third arch leads via a corner to the rear kitchen wing and probably originally served a service room in that position. The north wall of the cross passage is constructed of ordinary rubble masonry approximately 0.6 metres thick and, although visually simple, must be mediaeval as it supports the passage vault. The longitudinal walls of the vaulted service rooms are also rubble masonry, 0.4 to 0.6 metres thick, and form part of the original construction. The mediaeval hall must have occupied the space to the north of this passage, though whether at ground or first floor level remains unknown.

Above the vaulted service rooms was a solar, of which a mediaeval window survives. Fragments of a staircase leading to this solar remain, awkwardly incorporated into the side of the dogleg staircase added during the 18th century rebuild. The staircase included a lateral chimney, corbelled on the outside.

The 18th-century farmhouse was constructed on this mediaeval foundation. The main range extends approximately 15 metres long by 6 metres deep and rises three storeys, built in rubble masonry. Two rear wings extend to the west, with the southwestern wing containing the kitchens. Some rebuilding of the rear quarters appears to have taken place in the 19th century. A small porch was formed at the centre of the east front, giving access into the mediaeval through-passage, which now serves as the front entrance. A stairs enclosure was inserted in the angle between the northwest wing and the main range.

All joinery is now missing, though historical notes record pine panelling dating from 1680 to 1710 on the first floor and a fireplace and china cupboard of similar date in the old solar. The front elevation preserves window openings on the first floor to the right of centre: three tall openings with 1:2 proportions and heads of five voussoirs including a projecting keystone, with slate sills. The second floor has smaller, narrower windows. The south half of the main elevation has collapsed, but surviving fabric and old photographs indicate similar fenestration.

The room to the north of the mediaeval through-passage provides access to the 18th-century staircase, which is of dogleg type rising clockwise. The old solar latterly functioned as a dining room or parlour, and a floor aperture into the cross passage beneath was perhaps formed for serving purposes.

Pricaston Farmhouse is listed at Grade II* for its incorporation of a very interesting and substantial fragment of a mediaeval hall house with vaulted service rooms, and as a valuable example of an 18th-century house of good architectural appearance. It is recorded as Ancient Monument no. PE451.