Reasons for Designation
Knobs Crook is designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* Knobs Crook dates from the C16 and a significant proportion of the original timber frame survives: the first floor frame, first floor partition and roof structure.
* A C17 brick and stone chimneystack, ground floor partition and ceiling beams also survive.
* The original C16 plan form of two bay open hall with a single first floor chamber is still readable although it was adapted in the C17 to form a two bay end-chimneystack house with one heated room.
* Interior features include an open fireplace, a rare ladder staircase, original oak floorboards and several C18 plank doors.
* The witches' marks inscribed on the axial beam to avert evil are evidence of the survival of early superstitious beliefs and practices.
Details
965/0/10070
BILLINGSHURST
ADVERSANE
Knob's Crook
28-FEB-08
II
House. C16 open hall house, with end-chimneystack added and open hall floored over in the C17. The ground floor was underbuilt in brick in the C18. Circa 1900 a lean-to addition was added to the north, the western roof hip replaced by a half hip, tile-hanging added to the first floor and the windows replaced. A northern outshot was added in the C20. The northern and western outshots are of lesser interest.
MATERIALS: timberframed, underbuilt in brick with tile-hung first floor, and tiled roof with end brick and stone chimneystack.
PLAN: originally a two bay open hall with south chamber, modified to form a two bay end-chimneystack house with later outshots added to west and north. Two storeys: two windows.
EXTERIOR: the east or entrance front has a Sussex bond brick ground floor with some vitrified headers, and tile-hung first floor with two bands each of two courses of brown curved tiles. There are two wooden C19 tripartite casements to each floor, and at the northern end is a wide C18 ledged plank door set in a pegged architrave. The north end gable has exposed queenposts, tiebeam and collar beam. The collar beam has been interrupted by the later insertion of the brick and sandstone fabric of the end chimneystack. The lower part of the wall is concealed by a C20 lean-to weatherboarded outshot. The south end is mainly of Sussex bond brickwork, but the half hip and the easternmost section of the first floor are tile-hung. The west side has some timberframing exposed at the northern end with corner post, midrail and two curved braces visible. Some infilling is lime plastered, possibly over wattle and daub, the rest is brick infill over a brick ground floor. Most of this elevation is obscured by a brick stretcher bond extension of circa 1900 with two casement windows. It has a cambered entrance to the south and a blocked entrance to the north. Attached to the cottage on all sides is a brick path abutting the base of the walls, which is shown on the 1876 Ordnance Survey map.
INTERIOR: the north ground floor room has a C17 open fireplace on the north wall with wooden bressumer and two spice holes. To the east of the fireplace is an alcove with wooden latched three plank door with butterfly hinges. The western side has a more recent plank door and was probably the site of the breadoven. The axial beam has a deep three inch chamfer with stepped ogee chamfer stop and incised witches' marks to avert evil. This beam is the original C16 beam supporting the chamber partition above the open hall but the partition below it, of three sections of box frame with a midrail, was inserted in the C17, together with the ceiling of square joists, when the building was converted from an open hall to an end-chimneystack house. The south ground floor room contains the reverse side of the axial beam and partition, which has a plinth on this side. There are square section ceiling beams. On the south side of the room is a latched plank door opening on to a very steep ladder staircase placed sideways along the south wall. The circa 1900 western outshot, containing kitchen and bathroom, has no features of special interest. The south chamber, originally the only first floor room, contains wide rebated oak floorboards. The cornerposts and wallplates are visible and the east wall has a curved tension brace and the shutter groove to an original window opening, originally of two diamond mullions, later replaced by a larger window. Some studs are exposed in the west wall and the original C16 partition wall between chamber and open hall survives to the north with curved tension braces. The north chamber, originally open to the roof, has later floorboards. The inserted tie beam in front of the chimney is a reused timber of C15 or earlier date. When the chimney was inserted at the north end this room appears to have been unheated. There are alcoves either side of the chimneystack with old floorboards in the eastern alcove and a latched two plank cupboard door to the west with old hinges. Two queenpost roof trusses are visible. The roof space is reported to have clasped chamfered side purlins with collars and smoke-blackened rafters.
HISTORY: The first mention of the property is in the 1827 Poor Tax as Nobscrook, although it may have been associated with the landholding known as Durhams or Durromots which is mentioned in records as far back as 1530. In 1837 the probate of the will of William Hard mentions a house and garden called Nobscrook to be sold and the money divided amongst the family in equal shares. In the 1841, 1851, 1861 and 1871 Census returns Edward Hard, agricultural labourer and his family are living at Nobs Crook. In the 1881 and 1891 Census Returns the property is occupied by William Phillips, agricultural labourer, and his family. In the 1891 Census returns Sarah Hards, widow of a son of Edward Hard, and her sons are living at Knobs Crook. Between 1916 and 1935 the property was occupied by Harry Palmer and family. He worked for Colonel Elmes of Lee Place, Pulborough. In 1945 the sales Particulars of Lees Place Estate included Knobs Crook Cottage. since 1951 the property has been in the ownership of the same family.
The building is shown on the 1876 and 1897 Ordnance Survey maps with a rectangular plan surrounded by trees and approached by a footpath to the north east. By the 1911 Ordnance Survey map the plan is L-shaped with an extension added to the south west.
SOURCES:
Joseph Thompson "A Conservation Report on the Structural Timbers of Knobs Crook, Adversane..." Unpublished survey of November 2006.
REASONS FOR DESIGNATION:
* Knobs Crook dates from the C16 and a significant proportion of the original timber frame survives, including the first floor frame, first floor partition and roof structure with smoke-blackened rafters.
* Additional features of interest are the C17 brick and stone chimneystack, ground floor partition and ceiling beams.
* The original C16 plan form of a two bay open hall with a single first floor chamber is still readable although it was adapted in the C17 to form a two bay end-chimneystack house with one heated room.
* Interior features of interest include an open fireplace, a rare ladder staircase, original oak floorboards and several C18 plank doors.
* The witches' marks inscribed on the axial beam to avert evil are evidence of the survival of early superstitious beliefs and practices.
