Building record 15541/1 - Higher Hall Farmhouse

<1> English Heritage, 2005, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, 1104854 (Digital Archive). SCH4666.

Farmhouse, c1845, on site of earlier farmhouse. Red brick, Flemish bond. Hipped slate roof with overhanging boxed eaves. Tile ridge. Brick double stacks at ridge ends. Stone plinth. 2 storey, 3 window rectangular block with added wing to rear. Recessed sashes with glazing bars, with stone heads and cills. To sides, sashes and metal casements, including ground floor bay window with metal casements. Central timber porch with flat modillioned canopy supported on octagonal columns on stone plinth, with simple pilasters behind. Doorcase with recessed moulding, and rectangular fanlight with glazing bars over replaced 4-panel door. Right side, original 4-panel door in doorcase with recessed panels, and with 3-pane rectangular fanlight and short flat canopy. Similar fanlight over back door. Interior: Open string stair with square balusters and moulded mahogany rail, with curtail, and turned newel post. 4-panel doors.

<2> Peter de Figueiredo (Independent Consultant), 2015, Higher Hall, Higher Hall Lane, Edge, Malpas: Heritage Statement, R4581 (Client Report). SCH9183.

Higher Hall dates from circa 1845 and was built on the site of an earlier farmhouse. The earlier building is depicted on the Tithe Map of 1839; three outbuildings, to the west of the farmhouse, are also illustrated. The tithe apportionment records that the farmhouse was owned and occupied by John Johnson and describes the plot as comprising farmhouse, outbuildings, yard, orchard and garden, together with all the surrounding fields and pasture. The holding was later tenanted by the Done family.

The 1875 OS map shows the property after construction of the new Hall, which was built on the site of the previous dwelling. The two ranges of outbuildings shown on the 1839 map were retained and supplemented by the south range. This later range has the initials JJ for John Johnson and RJ and the date 1845. The 1875 map also shows the orchard and garden to the east and south of the house. No significant changes appear to have taken place between the 1875 and 1910 OS maps apart from an additional outbuilding to the north east of the courtyard.

On stylistic grounds, the existing house probably dates circa 1845. It is a 2-storey rectangular brick building with an added wing to the rear. The roof is of slate, and is hipped with overhanging eaves and a tiled ridge. The front elevation is 3 bays wide with small pane sash windows and a central timber porch with modillioned canopy supported on octagonal columns on a stone plinth, and with simple pilasters behind. The doorcase has recessed moulding and a rectangular fanlight with glazing bars. The side elevation of the house facing the courtyard is more old-fashioned, with cross windows rather than sashes. Although the stone plinth runs around both front and side elevations, the string cours e is restricted to the front. The list entry suggests that the rear wing is a later addition, but stylistically is appears to be the same, or possibly earlier.

The courtyard is U-shaped, with the open side facing the house. The north east and north west ranges pre-date 1839 while the south west range dates from 1845. The yard is paved in cobbles, although much of it has been surfaced in concrete or grassed over.