Building record 142/2 - Ashbank Farmhouse, Church Lane, Scholar Green

<1> English Heritage, 2005, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, 56551 (Digital Archive). SCH4666.

Farmhouse. Late sixteenth to early seventeenth century. Timber framed with rendered brick and wattle-and-daub infill with a plain tile roof. Two storeys with attic. Baffle entry plan. The entrance front has at right a gabled wing with seven by four cells of small-framing with angle braces and three-light twentieth century metal casement windows to the ground and first floors. Jettied gable above with two-light nineteenth century attic casement window. To the left of this are seven by four cells of uneven small framing with an angle brace supported on a stone and brick plinth with, at ground floor level, a doorway at right and a three-light twentieth century metal framed window to left. The first floor has a seventeenth century canted oriel window supported on stepped brackets which are carved from the upright posts below. This has ovolo-moulded mullions. Much of the timber on this front has had timber planking applied to disguise rotten wood. To the roof is a massive chimney stack rendered to its lower body and with an upper stage of yellow nineteenth century brick. To the left is a lower flush range of nineteenth century English garden wall bond brick with three-light windows to the ground and first floors with tile sills. Late nineteenth century lean-to to the far left. The right hand side has ten by four cells of small-framing with angle braces to right and left and to the third post from the right supported on a stone and brick plinth. Single light first floor window to right of centre and a blocked two-light window to the right of this with timber mullion. The rear has a gabled wing at left which has six by four cells of small framing with angle braces, a blank door to left of centre, a mezzanine staircase window at right and a three-light first floor twentieth century casement window to the first floor. Jettied gable with chamfered bressumer and a three-light nineteenth century window. To the right of this are five by two cells of uneven small-framing at ground floor level with a catslide roof above. Interior: The parlour has ovolo-moulded ceiling beams with ogee stops and wall posts with decoratively moulded consoles with small-scale sawtooth decoration. Ingle nook fireplace with a massive ovolo-moulded bressumer with ogee end stops. Chamfered rafters between the ceiling beams. Further ground floor room with similar wall posts, brackets and ceiling beams. Three doorways with ogee heads. Small framing to the staircase walls. The staircase has four flights with quarter-turn and half-landings. The newels have chamfered corners and faceted ball-finial with saw-tooth moulding. Turned balusters and plain handrail. Ovolo-moulded ceiling beams to the first floor with chamfered rafters between. Six plank doors mostly of seventeenth century date with strap hinges. The attics have two purlins and ridge with wind bracing. Queen-post trusses with angle braces and wattle and daub infill.

<2> See map for surveyor, c.1837-51, Cheshire Tithe Maps and Awards, EDT 309/2, 1838 (Maps and Plans). SCH3266.

This map depicts the farmhouse, with a long building to the immediate south-east. A small building is located between the two buildings and a further small building is located to the north-east of the farmhouse. Described as house, yard, garden and buildings.

<3> Ordnance Survey, 1871-1882, Ordnance Survey County Series (Epoch 1) 25 inch to 1 mile - Cheshire, SJ8256, 1875-1888 (Maps and Plans). SCH2462.

As previously depicted. Small building to the south-east is no longer extant. Two new building are depicted to the south-east of the farm building. Building to the north-east of the farmhouse is a pig stye. Labelled Ashbank Farm.

<4> Ordnance Survey, 1896-1898, Ordnance Survey First Revision County Series (Epoch 2) 25 inch to 1 mile - Cheshire, SJ8256, 1898-1899 (Maps and Plans). SCH3848.

As previously depicted.

<5> Ordnance Survey, 1909-1912, Ordnance Survey Second Revision County Series (Epoch 3) 25 inch to 1 mile - Cheshire, SJ8256, 1909 (Maps and Plans). SCH4361.

As previously depicted.

<6> Bryant, A., 1831, Map of the County Palatine of Chester (Maps and Plans). SCH2114.

This map depicts two buildings at this location, labelled Ash Hill.

<7> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Land Line and Master Map Vector Maps, 18/11/2022 (Maps and Plans). SCH4491.