Description

ILSINGTON SX 77 SE 7/92 West Horridge Farmhouse -

- II

Farmhouse. Late C16 or early C17; rear wings possibly C18 or early C19 additions. Granite rubble, now painted at the front. Main body of house, including rear wing, has local wheatreed thatched roofs with hip at left-hand end of front range; left hand section, which has been reduced in height, has low-pitched slated roof with clay ridge tiles. The thatched section has slated valleys, now concealed by later thatch. The thatched range has 2 late C17 or C18 granite chimneystacks with caps formed by projecting slate courses; one is in right-hand gable, the other on ridge, close to left-hand end. Slated section has a tall, late C19 red brick stack with bands of yellow brick on centre of ridge. 3-room and through-passage plan, basically. The lower room, which is heated, has a former stable or outhouse beyond it, and may originally have been part of a long shippon, sub-divided later to form a kitchen. Rear wing at right-hand end is partly ruined and roof-less; it has no chimneys and part of it was used latterly as a dairy. Behind left hand end is a smaller wing, probably a storeroom. 2 storeys, apart from the single-storey left- hand end and the rear section of the wing. 5-window front, including the 2 ground storey windows of the single storey section; the walling is of one build, front and back. Windows are all C18 or early C19 wood casements under plain wood lintels. In the thatched section of front range, all have slender moulded mullions with horizontal iron tie-bars for glazing, except the middle ground storey window which has wooden glazing bars and 8 panes per light. Doorway in left hand bay has old plank door with small window cut into it. Lower left hand section has 3-light wood casement window to right, this having 8 panes per light. Immediately below it is a blocked doorway which is matched by a similar blocked doorway in the rear wall. To left is a single light wood casement without glazing bars. The front and back walls of the thatched section project slightly at the gable end, showing clearly that the whole building was formerly 2-storied. In left hand gable are 3 slit windows. Interior retains much of its C18 and early C19 character, with irregular plaster surfaces to walls and ceilings. Front door opens into through-passage, this having been enlarged to insert a C18 or C19 plain staircase. Stone rubble chimney of hall back on to it to right. Hall has ovolo moulded upper floor beam with raised run out stops; similar half beam against the chimney, cut off at rear end. Partition at upper end, next to the former parlour (now the kitchen), is a stud-and-panel screen which appears to have formed the base of a close studded timber framed wall rising the full height of the house to the roof ridge. Towards the hall the studs are chamfered, without stops, and the head beam is lightly moulded; studs are plain on parlour side. Former parlour is large for a farmhouse of this period with fireplace in gable wall; rough, longitudinal upper floor beam. Roof of front range appears to have been rebuilt at left-hand end in C18 or C19, but at right hand end an original truss survives; this has plain feet, cambered collar, 2 tiers of threaded purlins and a threaded ridge; principal rafters notched at apex. The top of partition between hall and parlour survives in roof space; this has close studding above a straight collar; studs are grooved on sides for laths. On underside of collar and principals are mortices for former studs running down to second storey. There is no trace of smoke-blackening. Right hand rear wing has C18 or early C19 trusses with collars pegged to the faces of the principal rafters. C18 or early C19 plank doors in both storeys, one in second storey with wooden latch. This has been a house of high quality and is likely to have other features of interest concealed under plaster, particularly fireplaces and floor joists.

Listing NGR: SX7604874148

External Links

• Wikidata Q26551882

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Recommended Books

• 
  Cambridgeshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Sussex: East with Brighton and Hove (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Huddersfield in 50 Buildings
• 
  Staffordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Northumberland (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Lancashire: Liverpool and the South-West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)