U-Plan Farmhouse Ranges at Rickeston Hall

Cadw's description

Location

Situated to W of Rickeston Hall, U-plan, backing onto road.

History

Early C19 farm complex enlarged in later C19 at each end.

Exterior

Rubble stone with slate roofs, grouted on earlier buildings, around a grassed, formerly cobbled yard. Long early C19 W range, returned N and S, in poor condition, the two ranges meeting at NW angle especially so. These both have a band of brick doveboxes, and both fronts are of three bays with stone voussoirs to cowshed doors. C20 buttressing. W range continues to left with door and loft-light over, then widely spaced row of three cart-entries with cambered heads and stone voussoirs. A door with brick head and a window to left end, then range returns along S side to enclose steps up to a later taller lofted cartshed with three small square loft lights under eaves and one broad cambered cart-entry to ground floor right. Attached at NE angle is roofless 2-storey block enlarged out of a former lean-to and roofless former pig-sty beyond. E end of lofted cartshed has another cart-entry, entered from outside the yard, under the platform of the outside steps to upper loft door. Cart-entry under platform has broad arch, cut-stone voussoirs and eroded plaque over, said to have had a coat of arms from medieval mansion. Loft door has stone voussoirs. Three loft lights to outside S wall.

N side of yard has, attached to return range of cow-house, a later C19 two-storey, two-window range with brick cambered window surrounds and slate roof, latterly used as a machine shed, and then to E, a double-fronted stable for stallions built in 1885 by W W Griffiths (plaque on E gable), window, door and window with cambered brick heads. Windows have 5-pane top-lights over slatted vents. Inside, seven stalls and loose box, cobbled floor. Rear of older, W range to road is almost without openings and has roofs hipped at angles.

NE and SE entrances to yard with circular rubble stone gatepiers, stone E boundary wall towards main forecourt of house. Also a rubble wall running out from rear of S range to pair of circular rubble stone piers on main entry drive.

Reason for designation

Included for group value with Rickeston Hall and associated listed items.