NHER 55309 (Building record) - Bottom End Farmhouse

September 1988. Listed, Grade II.
Early and late 17th century timber frame with infill, early 17th century, brick gables and chimneys late 17th century. Two storeys and dormers. Openings 19th and 20th century but brick ends have oval windows in returned and platbands. Some pargetting at rear. Timber-frame close studded and heavy. Central winding stair.
Information from List Entry (S1).
See also unpublished report (S2).
Compiled by E. Rose (NLA), 16 February 1999.

February 2011. Photographic survey.
These two farmhouses are contemporary and belong to the last years of the 17th century. The principal farmhouse, which is the subject of the Planning/LBC application, is timber-framed within a pair of returned brick gable-ends incorporating chimney stacks. Contrary to common belief, the gable-ends are not additions and represent a departure from the typical Lobby -Entrance type farmhouse which has an axial chimney stack. Although end stacks are not uncommon in higher status houses thoughout the 17th century, for the farmhouse this was quite a new plan type which keeps the traditional lobby entrance and its winding stair with rooms in the places which would have accommodated the stack. So the building is of very special interest because of this transitional plan type amongst other things. Typical of frames of this period is the use of so-called tension braces which are diagonal timbers which truncate the stud work and increase ridgidity. Unusual, but indicative of the late 17th century are the reduced and shaped jowls to the central posts visible from the first floor landing. Also the oval windows in the brick gable-ends are very worthy of note as well as the bold platbands. A very rare survival is the large area of pargetting which has been protected from the weather by the addition of a lean-to extension in the first half of the 18th century. Also of particular interest is the high level of re-used timber in the building. The second, small, farmhouse is at right angles connected to it by a single storied bake/ wash house. The building has a returned gable-end with stack but the timber frame which abutted it has been replaced with brick. The original roof structure of princpal rafters, collars and butt purlins survives, however. Oval windows in gable-end.
See photographs (S2). [1].
S. Heywood (HES), 23 February 2011.