Description

WHITESTONE SX 89 SE

4/105 Lower Hare Farmhouse

- II

Farmhouse. Circa early C16 origins, circa mid C17 remodelling, some rebuilding of the circa early C19, C20 rear additions in progress at time of survey (1985). Whitewashed rendered cob, the right-hand end wall rebuilt in brick and some brick below the eaves to the rear; slate roof gabled at ends; left end stack, projecting stack with set-offs and brick shaft on front wall, circa C19 brick stack to rear right. Single-storey rear lean-to in concrete block with tiled roof. Present plan is 3 rooms and a through passage, the inner room to the left heated by the gable end stack, the hall heated by the stack on the front wall and the lower end to the right, originally unheated with a C19 stack added at the rear; single-storey rear lean-to. The core of the house is a late medieval open hall floored over in the circa mid C17 when the front lateral stack was added. The lower end and passage may always have been floored. The inner room was rebuilt in the circa early C19 as a kitchen. The lower end has been re-roofed and the end wall rebuilt, probably following a partial collapse. The single-storey rear lean-to at the left is a service room to the kitchen, at the right (lower) end it is being converted as part of the house accommodation. 2 storeys. Irregular 4-window front with the front door into the passage to right of centre, approximately central front lateral stack and a further entrance at the extreme left. Fenestration of late C20 metal frame casements in C19 embrasures. Interior Considerable survival of higher quality features of the C17, including 3 screens. The hall is particularly fine with a large fireplace with hollow-chamfered brecchia ashlar jambs, a massive timber lintel (partly concealed by late C20 masonry) and a relieving arch above. A cross beam and a half beam are heavily moulded with elaborate stops and oak plank and muntin screens survive at either end of the hall. The higher end screen has a moulded top rail and moulded muntins stopped off at hall bench level, the original doorway has been moved. The lower end screen has a blocked Caernarvon arched doorway and some replacement of planks and muntins towards the rear. On the passage side the muntins are moulded and stopped. The lower end screen of the passage has similar moulded stopped muntins and 2 blocked Caernarvon arched doorways, the rear dooway may originally have led into an internal stair turret in the lower end (right-hand) room, the turret no longer exists. The through passage has deeply chamfered joists which have been resited above the top rail of the hall screen which has subsided slightly after decay at the base. The rear doorway of the passage is 4-centred and chamfered on the rear side with a probably early C18 wide plank door. A jointed cruck truss with a cranked collar and threaded ridge survives above the hall with 2 tiers of deeply chamfered purlins, the purlins are similar in section to the joists of the through passage ceiling. The joints of the truss are mortised. There are closed trusses at each end of the hall, the trusses are smoke- blackened on the hall side. The higher end truss has some puzzling charring on the higher side: the charring does not appear to have damaged the timber and leaves a smooth surface when it is removed. The mortises on this truss indicate that the early C16 roof extended over the inner room before it was replaced, although it is not clear whether the inner room was opened or floored. Recent renovations are said to show that the front foot of the jointed cruck truss over the hall was cut off when the hall stack was added, the rear foot survives. The left-hand end of the house has thinner cob walls, the ground floor fireplace has brick jambs and is probably early C19. An old photograph in the possession of the owner shows the house with fenestration of small pane casements. High status carpentry and joinery details and a fine fireplace make this a building of especial interest.

Listing NGR: SX8541993565

External Links

• Wikidata Q26511199

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Recommended Books

• 
  Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy
• 
  County Durham (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England) by Elizabeth Williamson Nikolaus Pevsner(1983-03-11)
• 
  Renovating Old Houses: Bringing New Life to Vintage Homes (For Pros By Pros)
• 
  The Victorian House Manual (2nd Edition): How They Were Built, Improvements & Refurbishment, Solutions to All Common Defects - Includes Relevant ... ... Properties (Haynes Manual) (Haynes Manuals)
• 
  Central Leinster: Kildare, Laois and Offaly (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
• 
  Kent: North East and East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)