Building record 1574500000 - Well Farmhouse, Dagnall

History:
The farmhouse at Well Farm has a two-bay historic core with an off-centre chimney stack. The large-panel timber frame, which incorporates substantial principal jowled posts and straight bracing, is of around the early C17.
Subsequently a timber-frame wing was added to the east side of the building, an additional timber-frame bay was added to the north side of the main range and a two-storey porch was added to the west elevation. The timber framing in the later extensions has variable scantling probably of the C17 and C18. The west elevation
was refronted in brick, possibly at around the same time the porch was added.
The Original Series Ordnance Survey (OS) One Inch map (published 1822-1834) marks Well Farm as a set of three buildings. The Edlesborough Tithe map (1848) shows the site in greater detail including the house with an L-shaped footprint, a projecting porch and a further structure at the north-east corner. The barn, with a central porch, is located on the west side of the farmyard, and the stable block to the north. The accompanying apportionment records the site within the ownership of the Countess of Bridgewater. The house plot is described as 3 cottages and garden, tenanted to Richard Collyers, James James and William Walker; the stable block falls under the same tenancy. The barn to the west is under the tenancy of William Peppercorn.
The First Edition OS map (1:2500, published 1879) shows the house with an L-shape footprint. A further narrow bay had been added to the north, and the north-east structure had been demolished. The stable building had been extended.
In the early-C20 a lean-to extension was added to the north side of the east wing. In 1924 Well Farm, yard and land, consisting of 192 acres was sold by the Bridgewater family’s Ashridge Estate. In the mid-C20 the farmhouse underwent further remodelling with the addition of a two-storey wing on the west elevation, and
the the addition of a two-storey hipped roof range to the east. The north-side east wing was modified with the addition of C20 first-floor flat-roof extension. In 2024 a single-storey extension was made to the north-east corner of the building.
Details:
House, built around the early C17, with later additions in the C17, C18 and C19, and further extensions in the mid-C20 and early C21.
MATERIALS: a timber-frame building with brick and plaster infill. Externally, the walls are clad in brick, timber weatherboarding, and cement-board. The roof is predominantly covered by tiles and there are several brick stacks.
PLAN: at the south-west corner of the building is the original two-bay core with an off-centre stack and a porch to the west. To the north-west is a later bay accessed by a separate entrance in the east elevation; on its west side is a mid-C20 extension and C19 addition to the north. At the centre of the building are the
remains of the timber-frame east wing, with a lean-to on either side. To the south-east is a mid-C20 hipped roof extension and a 2024 single-storey flat roof extension to the north-east.
EXTERIOR: the two-storey west range has a pitched tile roof with a brick stack over the roof behind the porch and an additional stack to the north. The windows, most of which contain timber casements replaced in 2024, are largely rectangular openings of various dates; most have stone or concrete lintels, and several of those
on the west elevation have brick segmental heads. There are several external plank doors.
On the west side there is a two-storey off-centre porch with timber-framing and brick infill to the first floor, and brick to the ground floor. Behind is the west elevation of the front (west) range which has been rebuilt in brick. Flanking the porch are ground and first-floor windows; the ground-floor windows have segmental arches. The south gable end of the main range is clad with timber weatherboarding; it includes a C20 ground-floor bay window and decorative barge boards to the eaves. To the north, the main range continues with a further two-storey bay; a two storey mid-C20 wing with a lateral chimney stack has been added to this bay’s west side. To the north side of the main range there is a two-storey C19 extension which is brick on the ground floor and clad in cement boards to the first floor (replaced in 2024), and a weatherboard-clad single storey lean-to. The east elevation of the north bay includes timber-framing on the ground floor and brick to the first floor.
At the centre of the building is the former east wing, of one and a half storeys. The south elevation of this wing has a brick wall and a sloping catslide tile roof with a hipped dormer window above. On the north side of the wing, the roof has been raised to create a second storey with a flat roof, below are the remains of a C19
brick lean-to.
At the south-east corner is the mid-C20 extension; the ground floor is brick and the first floor is clad in tile. It is topped by a hipped roof with gablets and a brick stack. At the north-east corner a flat-roof brick single storey extension has been added in 2024.
INTERIOR: opposite the porch is a substantial brick chimney stack, flanked by rooms on both floors. The ground-floor room on the north side has a substantial chamfered axial beam; there is one stepped stop visible at the north end. The corresponding joists include several chamfered timbers with lamb tongue stops as well as carpenters’ marks on both the joists and beam. Some joists have been replaced with reused timbers. The walls contain the remains of timber framing including principal posts, studs (some are later insertions), and sections of cill and girding beams. The east wall (former rear wall to this range) includes a timber door frame adjacent to chimney which appears to be a later insertion. The chimney on this side includes a substantial inglenook fireplace with a bread oven. It is topped by the bressummer which extends beyond the fireplace opening and indicates that there has been modification. On the east side of the fireplace is a void which has become blocked. The room to the south has a chamfered axial beam with no visible stops; the rest of the room is covered in C21 panelling and fireplace. Below the south room is a brick barrel-vaulted cellar, accessed by a brick staircase located within the later east wing. Above the cellar stairs, a straight flight C19 staircase, with C21 balustrading, leads to the first floor. Within the front (west) range, the top of the brick stack is visible and on its north side there is evidence of C17 timber framing which includes the remains of a central truss with jowled posts, studs and tie beam, as well as sections of wall framing in the east and west walls. There is also the timber-frame of the former north-end wall with jowled posts, tie beam and straight wind braces. The visible historic roof structure at the north end includes a pair of principal rafters. There are also a pair of straight windbraces, which are modern replicas that been added during the recent building works (2024); however, it is understood the original timbers survive underneath. There are a pair of purlins visible at this north end; however, they are at different heights indicating that the beams have been reset. The southern room has been covered in later plaster and there is no visible evidence of a timber frame. The level of survival of the rest of the roof structure is unclear; the purlins visible over the south end appear to be later replacements and the rest of the roof structure is covered by modern insulation.
To the east of the front (west) range is the remains of a timber-frame wing. At the centre is a two-storey principal truss consisting of a pair of jowled posts, tie beam and principal rafters, as well as timber-frame panelling including straight wall bracing and brick infill. A doorway has been cut into the tie beam. On the east side of this truss, a ground-floor cross passage has been created; the timber-frame wall on the east side of the passage is likely a later insertion. The remains of the wall framing of the rear wing’s former south elevation, including passing brace, is visible at ground and first-floor level. There is also a section of timber framing within the attached south lean-to. At the centre of the wing is a ground-floor axial beam, which includes empty joist mortices. There are fragments of timber-framing at ground-floor level on the wing’s north side; at first-floor level the timber framing has largely been removed with the flat-roof extension. Several of the internal walls within the former rear wing are later insertions with modern finishings and the mid-C20 south-east hipped-roof extension appears to have slightly truncated the east end of the former wing.
The front (west) range’s north bay has a separate entrance which opens into a hallway with a straight-flight staircase; the former external face of the original two-bay core’s north-end wall is visible, and include posts extending above the tie beam, and early brick infill. The other north-bay walls are largely covered by modern
finishing; there is a section of small-panel framing visible in the hallway and an axial ground-floor beam. The fireplace has been modified to insert a modern kitchen range, including a new bressummer. The mid-C20 extension on the west side has led to the removal of the former west ground-floor wall at this end of the building, with a timber beam surviving at the junction between the bay and the extension. The first- floor extends over the mid-C20 wing and the C19 two-storey extension to the north; part of a beam is visible at where a door has been inserted between the north-end bay and C19 extension. It was not possible to access the attic level over the north bay. The ground-floor level of the C19 extension has a separate access.
Throughout the building there are plank doors or various dates with metal strap hinges and door furniture, including within the C20 and C21 extensions. Some decorative timber beams have been added to the interior during recent (2024) work.
Selected Sources:
D_12/19 Deeds relating to 9 cottages at Dagnall, 1677-1861
Edlesborough Tithe Map and Apportionment (1848)
First Edition Ordnance Survey map (1:2500, published 1879)
Original Series Ordnance Survey map (one inch, published between 1822 and 1834)
SC/125/6 Sale Particulars for part of Ashridge Estate, with 4 maps:, 1924 (B1).