Crookhorn Farmhouse

Summary

Farmhouse, of C15 origins, partially rebuilt in around the C16, with later extensions including a C17 or C18 rear wing. Detached buildings to the south.

Reasons for Designation

Crookhorn Farmhouse, Shipley, Horsham is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

Architectural interest:

* it retains substantial amounts of historic fabric within the C15 jettied-wing, C16 hall range and later rear wings;
* it is a good example of local building traditions, for example through the Horsham-slate roof and the evidence of different construction techniques in the various phases of timber framing.

Historic interest:

* the evidence of its evolved plan contributes to our understanding of the development of domestic architecture.

Group value:

* it forms a good group with the associated former threshing barn to the east (Grade II; NHLE entry 1479286).

History

Crookhorn Farm is a historic farmstead located within the parish of Southwater. Crookhorn Farmhouse is located on the north-west side of a pond. The oldest part of the house is the jettied north-east corner; the timber-frame indicates that this part of the building dates to around the latter half of the C15. The hall range to the south dates to around C16 and is believed to have been rebuilt on the site of an earlier structure. The building has been further extended to the west, including a lean-to and a two-storey north-west wing to the rear built in around the C17 or early-C18.

A mid-C18 map of the farm (1751), provides elevational views of the farmstead, including the farmhouse, a detached building to south-east, and a farmyard to the north-east with a threshing barn on its east side and further buildings to the north-west and south. An early-C19 valuation of the estate (1811) includes a brief description of the house, a weatherboarded barn with stabling (most likely the threshing barn), cattle shed and pig house, dove house and horse stabling. The Parish of Shipley Tithe Map (1848) shows the main house with its current L-shaped footprint and two detached outbuildings to the south and south-east. To the north-east, the threshing barn is still depicted along the east side of the farmyard, with an attached cross wing at its south end, and the agricultural building in the north-west corner of the farmyard is also shown. The 1876 Ordnance Survey (OS) map (1:2500) shows a similar arrangement of buildings; with the exception of an additional structure added to the south of the building in the north-west corner of the farmyard. Later modifications have been made to the arrangement of farm buildings in the C20.

Details

Farmhouse, of C15 origins, partially rebuilt in around the C16, with later extensions including a C17 or C18 rear wing. Detached buildings to the south.

MATERIALS: timber-frame with brick nogging, partially on a stone plinth; topped by a hipped Horsham-slate roof, partially recovered in clay tile to the rear.

PLAN: it has an L-shaped footprint.

EXTERIOR: a two-storey building with exposed box-framing. The irregular fenestration has various sizes of timber casement windows. The earliest north-east corner is a jettied wing orientated east to west. The east timber-frame includes a jetty bressumer supported by brackets and two substantial first-floor curved braces. On the north return, there is further timber framing, including further curved braces. To the south, and at a right angle to the jetty wing, is the C16 hall range. The box-framing in this wing has slightly thinner scantling and stands on a stone plinth. On the west elevation, there are two doors and evidence for at least one blocked earlier window opening, as well as S-anchor plates. The south return is weatherboard-clad and there is a brick chimney stack with stretcher bond. To the rear of the jettied wing is a C17 or early-C18 gable-end extension which is clad in weatherboarding; on its south elevation is an entrance within a later porch. Attached to the later wing’s west-gable end is a single-storey lean-to with patches of brick and stone walling, and a tall brick stack rising above it. Attached to the west side of the C16 range is a stone single-storey lean-to with a further doorway.

INTERIOR: there is exposed timber framing of various phases throughout the building. Where the two principal historic ranges meet, the C15 south-end wall frame was partially replaced when the C16 hall range was rebuilt. Two doors on the east elevation lead into the C16 hall range, and at the north-west, a porch door leads into the rear wing. Throughout are plank doors of various dates with metal strap hinges, set within timber architraves.

The two-bay, C15 jettied-wing has brick and stone floors, and the rooms are arranged around a central corridor that contains the principal winder staircase. The two-bay C16 hall range to the south is on a lower level. The central hall bay has a flagstone floor and a chamfered central beam with exposed stops at one end. There is a large central stack with a substantial fireplace topped by a timber bressumer, flanked by partially rebuilt sides and with a modern stove. The south end bay has a large chamfered ceiling spine beam with stepped stops and chamfered joists with similar stepped stops at one end. In the south wall is a brick fireplace with a C19 mantel shelf and modern stove. Along the north wall of the C16 wing, doors in the central and south rooms lead into a lean-to that incorporates a second winder staircase. The rear wing to the north-west has a room with a chamfered and stopped ceiling beam encased in later timbers, and supporting rough-hewn joists. At the west end, within the attached lean-to, is a chimney stack with round brick oven at the base.

At first-floor level of the C15 wing are the tops of jowled principal posts. In the centre is a truss with an arched collar supported by a pair of curved braces. To the west is the former rear wall of this wing, now enclosed by the later north-west wing. To the south, the C16 wing has a triple-post roof with clasped purlins and straight bracing; many of the principal roof timbers have carpenters’ marks. Later collars have been added for support. The later wing to the north-west had a tie-beam roof. There are floorboards of various sizes and dates on the first-floor level.

Sources

Books and journals
The Victoria History of the County of Sussex: Volume VI Part 2 , (1986), 105-111

Other
Parish of Shipley Tithe map (1849)
First Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1:2500; 1876)
Cowfold Ordnance Survey Drawing (1806-1807)
Add Mss 1832, Farm of Thomas Sergisons Esqr: call'd Priers Survey'd by Rd: Morly (1751), held in West Sussex Archive
Lytton Mss 11, 'The Particular and Valuation of the Sussex Estates the Property of Francis Scawen Blunt Esqr.'(1811) held in West Sussex Archive
SP 376 Sale Particulars: Horsham; Newbuildings Place (1890) held in West Sussex Archive
MWS9971, Crookhorn Farm Historic Farmstead, Shipley , West Sussex County Council Monument Full Report

End of official list entry

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