Summary
An early-C18 farmhouse, with C20 and C21 adaptations.
Reasons for Designation
Mow House Farmhouse, Church Lane, Mow Cop, Staffordshire, an early-C18 farmhouse, is designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* Architectural: it is a well-crafted pre-1840 building with some good architectural details, such as a stone door case, eaves cornice and quoins.
* Intactness: the building is substantially intact despite some internal alterations and losses.
History
Mow Cop is a rural hillside village on the border of Staffordshire and Cheshire. Mow House Farmhouse stands on the edge of the settlement and was constructed in the early C18. The building is shown on the First Edition Ordnance Survey Map of 1887, rectangular on plan, with an additional range to the north. In March 1897, while under the tenancy and occupation by Mr Robert Roe, Mow House Farm was put on sale and the farmhouse was described as having: "an important frontage." Further, it was "exceedingly well built... the accommodation comprises three Sitting Rooms, Kitchen, Back Kitchen, six Bed Rooms, Larder, and Dairy." At some point after this the building was extended to the south-east with a single-storey addition. In the early C21 this addition was modified and given a pitched roof. Extensive internal works, including replacement of floor structure and new window frames, was also carried out at this time. The building continues to be in residential use.
Details
MATERIALS: Constructed of brick with ashlar dressings and render, under tile roofs with integral brick stacks. The front door case is carved stone. Internal partition walls are brick. The roof and floor structure, and some internal door cases, are of oak. The floorboards to upper floors and remaining stair balustrade are pine. The additional service range to the north is constructed of rubble stone, and roofed in layers of stone slates and modern materials.
PLAN: Rectangular on plan, and of three storeys with a sealed basement. The building is double pile with a central hallway and stair to the rear. The two rooms either side of the hall and stair have been opened into each other, although the former divisions are legible to both sides. Behind the stair is a single-storey wash-house/service range, subdivided into two rooms. The first floor is arranged as four rooms around a central landing. The second floor is subdivided into three areas by partition walls constructed of C18 brick.
EXTERIOR: The symmetrical façade has a central door with modern windows to either side. The second openings are narrower, have c.C19 casements, and punctuate a stone eaves cornice. The façade is rendered and has ashlar quoins. The central C21 door stands within a C18 opening with a boldly moulded surround and a raised keystone. The other elevations are also rendered. The roof has a slightly asymmetrical pitch, and has integral end stacks. The additional range to the north has a door to the south-east and small window openings to the other two faces. The north-east wall has a sealed window opening.
INTERIOR: The ground floor has no historic fittings of note. The stairs contain some C18 fabric, including a riser and supporting timbers with substantial joists, but have been heavily altered in the C20. The first floor retains some lateral oak ceiling beams in the north-west bay, with chamfering and run-out stops. Some door openings have remaining oak frame panels, and the floor boards are a mixture of C19 and C20 examples. The stairs to the attic have a C18 balustrade, with column-on-vase balusters, a number of which are missing. The attic space is subdivided by two full-height brick divisions, of C18 date. Doorways retain some iron pintles and timber catches. Joist holes in the walls indicate that there was once a small attic space above. The roof is supported by large chamfered purlins and a ridge beam. There are two purlins to the front roof slope and three to the rear. The purlins are secured with iron bolts and straps in some places, notably at the north-west end, accommodating an inserted brick chimney breast. There is a small sealed attic window with a timber lintel in the north corner. C18 floor boards are concealed beneath later, C19, planks. The casement window frames and catches are probably C19. The cellar is sealed with concrete, and a small window in the rear wall under the stairs, by the former cellar opening, is sealed in red brick. The lean-to range covers a blocked former back door to the main range, with a plaster surround and keystone.
