Brook Farmhouse

Cadw's description

Location

Approximately 1.3km ENE of Hanmer village centre, set back on the N side of aminor road between Arowry and Bronington.

History

A C17 house, although possibly a major rebuild of a medieval house, evidence for which are fragments of 2 possible base crucks. Of the present house, one of its gabled bays is shown in a C19 view by E.P. Thompson as being timber-framed in the upper storey, and the R gable end retains framing in its gable. The C17 house otherwise is mainly of brick, but with window openings no earlier than C18, suggesting that the house may originally have been timber-framed. A rear wing was added in the late C17 or early C18. A central dormer shown in C19 views was taken down in the early C20.

The children's book illustrator Randolph Caldecott (1846-86) was a visitor to the house in the mid C19 and used Brook House to illustrate his best-known picture book, 'The House that Jack Built' (1878).

Exterior

A 2½-storey 3-unit plan farmhouse, mainly of hand-moulded brick, whitened to the front; slate roof, with brick stacks to the L end, L of centre (serving the former hall), and on the eaves of the advanced R-hand gabled bay. The main range has projecting outer gabled bays giving a shallow U-shaped original plan, to which a rear wing was later added. In the front the original hall is a small bay between the advanced gables, with entrance to R of centre with replacement half-glazed door. Windows (not aligned in central bay) have segmental heads in the lower storey, and are all replacements in earlier openings, of which the lower L and centre are wood-framed casements. In the R-hand bay the first-floor is of C20 machine-moulded brick and the gable is roughcast, replacing earlier timber framing.

The right hand gable return of the main range is largely early brickwork, with exposed timber-framing at gable apex (tie-beam with struts to collar); gabled bay re-faced in C20 brickwork, as is rear of main range to left of rear wing. The left-hand return has blocked doorway in advanced gabled bay that has been converted to a window. Earlier brickwork to rear of main range to right of wing, but with later lean-to at ground floor, and replacement window beneath the eaves.

Rear wing has slightly lower roof-line than main range; 2-storeyed, with dentil eaves and slate roof with end brick stack. Facing the yard to the W it has replacement windows in earlier openings, under a segmental head in the lower storey.

The L gable end of the house also has a small brick lean-to.

Interior

The central room, once the hall, has a large timber fireplace lintel with beaded moulding. It has 2 spine beams. The back wall retains a single post of a partition, and is the only visible evidence that the rear of the house might have been timber-framed originally. The R-hand room, probably the parlour end, has a boarded door from the hall in a moulded wooden surround (and probably a timber-framed partition), and has a spine beam retaining an ogee stop. The L-hand room has 2 spine beams. Behind the room is a straight C19 service stair with plain balusters. In the rear wing is an ovolo-moulded cross beam.

The main quarter-turn stair from the hall has been closed in but its moulded handrails remain visible, of uncertain date but of C17 type. Over the staircase are stop-chamfered joists. In the upper storey one C18 door has 2 fielded panels. In the rear wall are 2 timber fragments, both sawn off, which are possibly remains of base crucks.

A dog-leg stair leads to the attic, at the top of which is a C17 newel with finial. One closed truss has queen posts and collar beam, and the roof retains plain windbraces to the rear slope. A second plainer attic stair over the L-hand room is C19 and was probably a service stair.

Reason for designation

Listed for its special interest as a C17 regional house retaining its overall form and good interior detail.