Building record 1155100000 - TOWNS END FARMHOUSE

Grade II+. House. Circa 1730s refronting and extension to the left by one bay of a c1600 timber framed building. Red and vitreous brick with band courses and red brick quoins and window surrounds. Left bays have moulded brick plinth and eaves, right bay with coursed rubble stone plinth. Old tile roof, brick chimneys to rear. Main part of 2 storeys and an attic with 2 slightly asymmetrical cross-wings, each of one bay, flanking narrow centre bay. Lower bay of one storey and an attic to rear. Front has 3-pane sashes with chequered segmental heads, blind and painted round windows to attics in gables, and central 6-panelled door, top-lit, in trellis porch. Left side has 3 blind windows to first floor. Right side has one bay of sashes. Barred wooden casements to rear wing.
INTERIOR: Central bay is occupied by 1730s well staircase with a variety of turned balusters, altered newel posts and handrail. Ground floor parlour to left has wooden round-headed china cupboard with serpentine shelves. Ground floor right room has large bressumer probably concealing c1600 chimney, kitchen corridor ceiling has painted dial of a former weathervane and rear wing has stop-chamfered spine beam and joists. Left upper chamber has early C18 panelling including corner bolection-moulded fireplace and overmantel, early C18 panelled wall to right upper chamber has dado rail, central moulded wooden firesurround and overmantel, closet door to right and door to left both with L-hinges, the latter opening on to narrow winder staircase to right attic. Closet in centre of first floor behind the staircase has a one metre square wall painting in the form of a fireplace overmantel, seen through painted drapes, probably early C18 in date showing an idealised landscape of a local view with Jacobite emblems in the form of two roses incorporated into the items making up the domestic foreground of the picture. Could these two roses represent the Old and Young Pretenders? An almanac of the 1730s discovered near the chimney in the roof may give the date of the major refurbishment of this house (B1).