New Forest Farm

Cadw's description

Location

The house faces onto a lane from Cusop to Craswall, in an elevated position facing N.

History

The house dates from about the middle of the 18th century and had an unusual compact ground-plan. In C19 the lower stairs were boxed in from the cellar; the plan has also been altered in C20 by the removal of partitions defining small rooms at the back of the main ground-floor ones. The low build on the left contains the kitchen, with lower levels; its upper storey was always reached externally.

Exterior

House, 2 storeys with cellar and attics, stone, hipped stone-slate & tiled roof. N symmetrical, 3 bays, windows stone flat-arches & C19 mullion & transom, casements, & dormers with boarded cheeks; door c.1900, 2 x 3 bevelled panels, C20 canopy on posts; end chimneys original. S: approx symmetrical but heavily rebuilt & 5 of 6 windows now under concrete lintels. Kitchen build 1 storey with loft, stone, stone-slate roof; N, much rebuilt, C19 plank door & C20 casement; S, C19 modern glazed door & window; E, original chimney with half-round oven projecting at rear under pitched slabs, 2 old timber-lintelled windows, plank door renewed C20 up stone steps curved around oven. C19 lean-to shed attached on N, stone, corrugated iron roof.

Interior

Original staircase to attics, square newels, good handrail & columnar balusters (partly missing), elm board dado. 3 6-panelled oak doors, 1 reset, C19 plank partition & door to cellar. One room now fitted modern oak panelling. Part of the rear room survives on W. Door to original kitchen, beaded oak planks. 1st floor: some original 4-panelled oak doors. Roof, collared trusses, 1 plain fireplace opening, 2 original oak-plank doors.

Reason for designation

This mid-18th century farmhouse is moderately well preserved with superior fittings and features of special interest.