Building record 5036 - The Old Farmhouse, Village Farm

The Old Farmhouse, Village Farm, a house and attached service building, formerly 2 dwellings, It dates to the mid -C18but incorporates earlier fabric, and was enlarged and remodelled in the early C19, and further altered C20. It is built of red brick with cut brick decoration , ridge and gable brick stacks and a plain tile roof covering. The house and service building form an L-shaped range forming northern boundary of farmyard, with 3-storey part to west, aligned east-west and with 2 storey bay to east end forming link with 3-bay 2 storey part to west, aligned north-south.
EXTERIOR: West range of 3 1/2 bays, the east bay a 2-storey link with single storey lean-to , now partly demolished, extending across the east bay of the taller range. This has 2 windows to each storey, the lower openings with segmental arched brick heads, the upper floor openings with flat heads and 3-light casement frames, one with leaded cames, the other with glazing bars. Other openings retain fragments of similar joinery. Complex decorative brick eaves cornice. Arch-headed doorway to west end bay with plank door, plain central doorway and east end doorway giving access to both 2 and 3 storey parts. Rear wall with openings to ground and first floors, mostly blocked, and with rear doorway to west bay. 2 storey bay to east with ground floor enclosed within C19 lean-to with single 2-light casement with glazing bars above. East range of 3 bays, with east- facing front with doorway to centre bay with 4-panel door, and stacked 3-light casements with glazing bars to each bay, those to the ground floor below arched heads. The upper floor openings with flat heads below a dentilled brick eaves.
INTERIOR: 3 storey part with contemporary roof structure comprised of 3 pegged oak king post trusses with primary and secondary struts supporting 2 tiers of trenched purlins. Trusses 1 and 3 are infilled and plastered, and have seatings for nailed studs which survive with brick infil at the east end. The upper floor has no ceilings and is open to the roof. The first floor has numerous closely-spaced tie beams and inserted plank partitions. The ground floor rooms each have paired ceiling beams aligned east - west, with exposed joists. The half bay to the west has an inserted bead oven with domed oven chamber. At the junction of 3 and 2 storey parts, back-to back hearths, that to the east with cast-iron C19 range. 3 storey part with off-centre back-to back hearths, that to the centre bay with deeply moulded and chamfered hearth beam . Ground floor rooms each with paired ceiling beams, some with complex C16 or C17 chamfer stops. Upper floor part of partition wall to north bay with exposed timber-framing.
HISTORY: The 3-storeyed part is believed to have ceased to be used as a dwelling house c.1820.
An evolved farmstead range made up of 2 interconnected former dwellings, now one complex made up of house and attached service range, the latter a mid- C18 dwelling possibly adapted for multiple occupation by farm workers, the former retaining elements of an earlier timber-framed dwelling. The complex retains interior fabric and fittings which relate to both its chronological and functional evolution.

<1> English Heritage, 2005, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Digital Archive). SCH4666.