Cheshire Farm

Cadw's description

Location

Located at the end of a short track off Oakenhalt Lane, on the W edge of Connah's Quay community.

History

A 2-unit direct-entry house, the raised stone copings and a deeply chamfered ceiling beam suggesting an early C17 date; an engraved date of 1758 on the ceiling beam must be later. A larger brick house was added at right angles in the C19, and is shown on the Ordnance Survey of 1870 but not on the 1839 Tithe map.

Exterior

The original C17 house faces W, the mid C19 block added at R-angles and facing N, resulting in an L-shaped plan. The earlier house is 2-unit and of one-and-a-half storeys, constructed of white-washed random stone under a slate roof with brick end stack to R. Raised rubble stone copings and moulded kneelers to gables, moulded stone eaves. Entrance offset slightly R of centre with glazed door within a C20 shallow lean-to porch, half-glazed with wooden lights and door. Small 9-pane wooden window R, above which is a gabled half-dormer containing a tall wooden window with fanlight. The N gable end has a wide 2-light wooden casement offset slightly to R; gable has small-pane 2-light casement with fan-light; timber lintels. S gable end is roughcast; shallow lean-to conservatory with wooden small-pane glazing on a brick base. The rear, to L of later block, has a 9-pane wooden window, above which is a gabled half-dormer containing a 2-light wooden casement with fan-light.
The C19 block is 2-storey 3-window with entrance offset slightly L of centre. Constructed of white-washed brick under a slate roof with wide boarded eaves; brick end stack to R. Entrance has a wooden doorcase containing a panelled door with 3-pane overlight. Windows flanking and to upper storey are 12-pane hornless sashes with wedge lintels and sills; wooden shutters to ground floor windows. The E gable end is rendered with C20 window to upper L. Rear has moulded roundel to upper R. It has a full-width brick lean-to against lower storey, with half-glazed wooden double doors offset L of centre, small-pane wooden windows with fan-lights, and a large 4-light bow window to R. Lean-to raised to 2 storeys to centre and L forming flat roofed blocks, with small-pane wooden glazing.

Interior

The C17 house has hall to R and kitchen to L. The hall has a ceiling with deeply chamfered cross-beam with cut stops to centre, and plain joists. The beam is engraved with a date of 1758, but the beam itself appears earlier; there is also an engraved 8. Fireplace to S end with curved, roughly S-shaped wooden lintel, probably reused from elsewhere. Winding stairs to L of fireplace. Kitchen to L has plain cross-beam to ceiling.

Reason for designation

Listed as a regional farmhouse built in 2 phases, retaining definite architectural character of the C17 and C19.