Manor Farmhouse

Details

BEDSTONE C.P. SO 37 NE BEDSTONE 8/5 - Manor Farmhouse 1.12.51 - 11*

Manor house, now farmhouse. Late C14 or early C15, extended late C16 and partly rebuilt 1775 with later additions and alterations. Timber framed partly of cruck construction, with rendered infill on rubblestone plinth; regularly coursed and dressed limestone to south front of hall range with roughly coursed limestone rubble below tie beam of west wing on north; machine tile roofs. Original plan a long open-hall range aligned east-west with 3-bay projecting cross-wing on east; hall range floored over in late C16 and wing added to west forming present H-plan. One storey and attic to hall range, 2 storeys to cross-wings with cellar beneath east wing. Framing: square panels, 4 from cill to wall-plate to east wing and more irregular to north gable and to hall range with curving tension braces to east wing; north gable has slightly cambered collar and tie beam with V-struts from collar, south gable rendered. West wing has close-set vertical posts to west side (largely renewed towards north end). South gable jettied to attic with moulded bressumer and elaborately carved corner brackets; herringbone bracing and twisted corner colonettes to first floor. Attic has collar and tie beam end truss with projecting double-purlin ends. Ground floor of gable and west wall underbuilt in red brick. North gable has collar and tie beam end truss with V-struts from collar. Irregular fenestration to north front of hall range and to east wall of east wing; 3 early C19 leaded casements directly below eaves to hall range carried up above wall-plate to form gabled eaves dormers, 4 leaded casements to ground floor, some C20 in imitation. Boarded door to far right in angle with west wing. East wing has a C17 four-light wooden mullioned and transomed latticed window to left and two C18 latticed cross-windows in panels of framing to right. Two C19 mullioned and transomed windows flanking cross-window to ground floor. Boarded door (glazed to top) to far right of north gable. Fenestration more regular to south side. East wing has C19 mullioned and transomed window to first floor and mid-C20 French window to ground floor; C19 gabled eaves dormers to left and right of hall range, former with C20 casement, directly above C19 mullioned and transomed window (left) and wide C20 casement (right). Boarded door with narrow rectangular barred overlight immediately to left of centre has semi-circular hood with lozenge-shaped datestone beneath, inscribed "E/lB/1775", which probably refers to the rebuilding of this wall in stone. West wing has 3-light leaded casement to first floor and 3-light mullioned and transomed window to ground floor. Large brick ridge stack with 4 attached and rebated shafts to centre of hall range and ridge stacks to east and west wings at junction with hall range, former with twin diamond-shaped shafts; integral lateral stacks to outer walls of east and west wings, both with stone base and twin diamond-shaped brick shafts. The tops of all the stacks have been rebuilt in C20 brown brick. Lower gabled rubblestone outbuilding attached to north gable of west wing has collar and tie beam end truss with V-struts from collar. Interior. Main feature is massive true cruck truss roughly to centre of hall range (to east of doorway on south side, where it has been partly cut away) resting on huge sole-plate. Each blade is sharply elbowed and broadly flanged with 7 deep grooves; massive dovetail joint visible to south blade on first floor. Apex not inspected at time of resurvey (July 1986) but said to survive in roof space (Alcock apex-type B*). Pair of arch- braced principal rafters to east of cruck truss and similar principal rafters visible to east wing. Main ground-floor room (to east of cruck truss) has inserted late C16 or early C17 deep-chamfered cross-beam ceiling with triangular-shaped joists. Chamfered ceiling beams in other ground- floor rooms. Ceramic tile floors to ground floor and wide oak floor boards to first-floor rooms. Lower gabled outbuilding, converted to laundry in C19, has stone-flagged floor, circular cast-iron sink with furnace below and a large bread oven. B.o.E. p. 71; Alcock (1981) p. 143.

Listing NGR: SO3688175570

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

257505

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Pevsner, N, The Buildings of England: Shropshire, (1958), 71
Alcock, N W, Council for British Archaeology Research Report in Cruck Construction An Introduction And Catalogue, (1981)

End of official list entry

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