Building record 4177/0/107 - Westhorpe Farmhouse

{1} House. Probably late C17. Regular coursed ironstone with corrugated metal roof. L-shape lobby-entry plan. Single storey with attic. Main front of 2-window range of C19 casements with glazing bars under wood lintels. C20 door under wood lintel and lean-to hood to far left. Ashlar gable parapet to left and brick stack at ridge. Cross wing breaks forward to right with one-window range of C19 casements to return wall. Interior has open fireplace with bressumer.

{2} The farmhouse is a Grade II listed ironstone building, likely to have been constructed in the latter part of the 17th century. The main aim of the work was to provide a record of the building prior to the removal of the c1930s tin roof cover and the replacement of the thatch beneath. The original roof construction consists of a series of common rafters, formed of long ash poles, laid over the backs of the ridge piece and side purlins, fixed in place with timber pegs. The early thatch consisted of bundles of long wheat straw tied to the rafters in a regular pattern and woven through with 'Norfolk' or water reed.

{3} Undated photo;

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, (checked) (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<2> Clarke S., 2011, Westhorpe Farmhouse, 12 Westhorpe, Ashley, Northamptonshire: Historic Building Recording, (checked) (Report). SNN107732.

<3> Photographs of buildings in Ashley (Photographs). SNN111857.

Record last edited

Feb 12 2020 10:06AM