Description

YALDING BENOVER ROAD
TQ 6949
(South-west side)
7/63
Nightingale
Farmhouse
II*

Farmhouse. C14 or early C15, with C16 alterations, C17 addition, and C19
and C20 facade. Timber framed. Front of main range rendered, left gable
end painted brick on ground floor, tile-hung above. Darkened weatherboarding
to right gable end. C17 addition painted brick in Flemish bond to ground
floor, first floor tile-hung to left side and front, rendered to right side.
Plain tile roof. Main range comprises the left bay of a former quasi-
aisled open hall, with an integral two-storey, two-bay cross-wing to left,
flush with front wall of open hall and stopping at rear arcade post,
a few feet short of rear wall of hall. The gap is infilled with a two-
storey aisle or stairhead to the rear gable end of-the cross-wing, probably
integral, or possibly the result of a slightly later contraction of the cross-wing
(but relatively unusual in this area). Hall aisle wall-plates raised to
same height as cross-wing 'aisle', (without contraction of aisles), probably
by C17 . C17 addition of 2 timber-framed bays and stack bay, running
forwards from front gable end of cross-wing, extending slightly further
left than cross-wing, and also slightly overlapping hall. Front aisle
wall-plate raised again to full two-storey height, and ridge also raised,
probably after C17. Main range 2 storeys, C17 addition 2 storeys and
garret. Painted brick plinth to main range. Underbuilt jetty to long
left side of C17 addition. Front eaves of main range are same height as
wall-plate of long left side of left cross-wing. Rear eaves are same
height as wall-plate of rear 'aisle' of cross-wing. Cross-wing roof is
hipped to rear, carried down to 'aisle' wall-plate and returned along rear
of hall. Main range gabled to right. A very short section at right
gable end, covering former central hall truss, remains with lower ridge
and evenly-pitched roof. C17 addition has slightly higher eaves and
ridge than left cross-wing, and gabled roof. Multiple brick ridge stack
to rear end of C17 addition. Brick ridge stack to right gable. end of
main range (right end of long left hall bay). One two-light attic casement
to gable of C17 addition. Irregular fenestration of 2 three-light casements,
one to gable end of C17 addition and one to main range, each with similar
ground-floor casement under. Sides of C17 addition unfenestrated on first
floor. Ribbed door to right end of front gable end of addition, and
boarded door with flat bracketed hood under main-range stack. Lean-to
to right, set back from front gable end, rendered to front, weatherboarded
to right side, with plain tile roof, and with boarded door to front.
Interior: partly exposed framing. Base-cruck truss to former centre of
open hall. Blades unjointed. Plain-chamfered rear blade has original
aisle wall-plate trenched across back of the 'elbow', and arcade plate
trenched across apex of blade. Plain-chamfered arch brace to tie-beam
(normal assembly). Present aisle wall-plate, of lighter scantling, is
carried on studs tenoned into the lower plate. Base of front base-
cruck blade and arch-brace visible. Some aisle wall-posts visible. Cross-
wing has cross joists to 'aisle' and to rear half of rear bay, and axial
joists to front half of bay (possibly with stair trimmer) and to front
bay. Possible evidence for a former front gable end jetty, and for
partition between 'aisle' and rear bay. First floor of cross-wing has long
shaped jowls to end principal posts, gunstock jowl (aligned with wall) to
central truss, and cambered, arch-braced central tie-beam. Rear 'aisle'
has gunstock jowls and cambered chamfered tie-beams. Remains of (C16?)
timber stack to right end of former left hall bays low cross beam pegged
to left side of rear base-cruck blade and supporting angled strut with
remains of daub flue-wall. Further cross beam, possibly associated with
timber stack, tenoned to lower aisle wall-plate about 5' left of base-
cruck truss, with pegged stud under. Inserted hall floor with unbevelled
axial joists tenoned to the cross beam. C17 addition has one two-bay
room with chamfered cross beam and tenoned axial beams, to each floor.
Principal posts of large scantling, with chamfered gunstock jowls.
Panelled door to stairs to right of stack. Brick ground-floor fireplace
with cambered bressumer. Small first-floor fireplace with moulded
surround, panel carved with scrolled motif, pulvinated frieze above panel,
and moulded mantel-shelf. Blocked (late C17 (C18?)) fireplace, with
ragstone base, brick dressings and wooden bressumer, between cross beam
and base-cruck truss in hall. C17 addition has side-purlin roof with
windbraces, ceiled above collar, and with morticesfor four-light diamond
mullion front attic-window. Rest of roof not inspected. Comparatively
few base-cruck trusses have so far been noted in Kent. See also Benover
Road, Burnt Oak.

Listing NGR: TQ6983149231

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17544963

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Yorkshire: York and the East Riding (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Lancashire: Liverpool and the South-West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  The green guide for historic buildings: how to improve the environmental performance of listed and historic buildings
• 
  Cork: City and County (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
• 
  For the Record