Crofts Bank

Cadw's description

Location

Set back on the N of the A525 on the W side of a junction with a minor road to Whitewell.

History

Originally known as Broad Oak, an early C18 house, extended in the C19. It is shown on the 1838 Tithe map. By the time of the 1873 Ordnance Survey it had a porch (now taken down) and extension on the L (W) side. The major extension on the E side is first shown on the 1911 Ordnance Survey.

An earlier house at Broad Oak was home from c1661 to the Presbyterian minister and preacher Philip Henry (1631-96), who obtained a licence to preach at the house 1672-5.

Exterior

The original house is 2½-storey, of white-painted brick, slate roof on projecting eaves, and end brick stacks. Its 2-window front has 3-light casement windows under earlier segmental-headed openings, and 2 flat-roof 3-light dormer windows. A probable original central entrance, blocked when a new entrance was created in the extension of the house, is obscured by vegetation. A 2-window extension set back on the R side has a higher eaves line and lower ridge, and brick stack to the R. It contains the main entrance to the house, a panel door to the L, R of which is a 3-light window in both storeys with wooden mullions and transoms. A similar cross window is above the doorway. On the L side is a 1-storey extension with 3-light mullioned and transomed window, then a lean-to with corrugated asbestos-cement roof , which has a boarded door and 3-light segmental-headed window, with another door at the L end.

The 2-window rear of the main house has inserted half-lit doors to the L, segmental-headed 3-light window to the R, and in the upper storey similar 2-light and 3-light windows. Set back to the L is the later extension, with 3-light and 2-light windows similar to the front, and on the R side the 1-storey extension has an outshut with 4-light window and 2-light gabled roof dormer.

Interior

The older part of the house has a larger room on the R side, and smaller room to the L, both with joist-beam ceilings, suggesting a traditional hall and parlour plan. Behind the L-hand room is a full-height, closed-string dog-leg staircase. The upper storey rooms also have joist-beam ceilings, and boarded doors. The main entrance in the late C19 or early C20 extension leads into a stair hall, which has a dog-leg staircase.

Reason for designation

Listed for its special architectural interest as an C18 house still largely in the vernacular tradition, retaining early character and detail including interior features.