Description

SY 09 SW FARRINGDON UPHAM LANE

3/45 Upham Farmhouse
-

GV II*

Farmhouse. Early C17, possibly earlier core, superficially modernised and extended
in late C19. Plastered cob on stone rubble footings, the east (service) end
includes large blocks of conglomerate stone up to first floor level, one corner of
the C17 rear block is rebuilt in C19 brick, and C19 rear block of exposed brick on
local stone rubble footings; stacks of local sandstone and conglomerate stone topped
with C19 brick, the hall stack is partly exposed; roof of C19 red tile includes
bands of fish-scale shaped tiles, formerly thatch.
The main block has a 3-room-and-through-passage plan house facing south with the
service room on the right (east) end. The service room has an end stack serving a
large kitchen fireplace with massive oven projection. The hall has a projecting
front lateral stack and inner room has an end stack. C17 unheated rear block at
right angles to rear of hall and inner room contains the main stair. C19 rear block
at right angles to rear of service room. 2 storeys throughout.
Regular but not symmetrical 4-window front, 2 either side of hall stack. 3 of the
first floor windows are C19 casements with glazing bars and the rest are circa 1980
PVC casements without glazing bars. The front passage doorway now contains a C20
door. The hall stack is mostly exposed and complete with weathered offsets and
chimney shaft. Roofs of main and rear blocks are all gable-ended. The rear,
however, includes some original features. The rear passage doorway has an oak frame
with a Tudor arch; the jambs may be replacements. Alongside is the rear hall
window; an oak 4-light frame with chamfered mullions, iron glazing and saddle bars
and glazed behind with rectangular panes of leaded glass. The inner side of the C17
rear block includes an oak 3-light window frame with superior ovolo-moulded mullions
lighting the stair head and below is a contemporary plain tiny window now missing a
central mullion. Also the outer side contains another oak 4-light window with
chamfered mullions serving the chamber. Both these first floor windows have iron
glazing bars and contain rectangular panes of leaded glass and the outer window
contains an original iron casement. The other rear windows are C19 and C20.
Good and well-preserved interior. The layout seems rather old-fashioned for the
early C17 but all the older features seem to date from that time and the hall was
apparently floored from the beginning.
The through-passage is lined each side by similar oak plank-and-muntin screens. On
the hall side both sides of the muntins are ovolo-moulded with bar-step stops but on
the lower (service room) side only the passage side is thus finished; on the service
room side the muntins are only chamfered with bar-step stops. The service room
itself has a soffit-chamfered and scroll-stopped axial beam. The fireplace here is
large with a soffit-chamfered oak lintel. The back and left cheek are untidy having
a series of inserted and disused ovens, other features and various patchings
including one of early hand-made bricks. The bench along the screen is oak and may
be C17 or C18 although its supports are later.
The hall has been divided in the C19 or C20 with a corridor along the rear. The
fireplace here is blocked by a C20 grate. The crossbeam is soffit-chamfered with
late step stops. In what is now the corridor a couple of fragments of an ornamental
moulded plaster frieze survive and the oak doorframes to the inner room and stair
block are both original; the former has part of the headbeam cut back, but the jambs
are ovolo-moulded with urn stops (the most elaborate in the house), and the latter
has a Tudor arch head and ogee surround with scroll stops. In the inner room the
fireplace is blocked. The axial beam is plastered over with C17 plaster including a
moulded cornice and the chamfered soffit includes a small section of moulded running
vine plasterwork. Elsewhere, like in the hall, most of the contemporary cornice has
been replaced except for a small section near the door which also has a moulded
plaster frieze. The rear block has another soffit-chamfered and scroll-stopped
crossbeam. It also contains a small lobby from the hall and the main stair. The
lobby contains original doorframes to the rear block room and to the stairs; the
former with a chamfered surround, the latter ovolo-moulded and both with scroll
stops. The closed well stair has square-section newel posts with acorn heads,
closed string, moulded flat handrail and turned balusters. The stair, though
correct in style for the C17, is built of softwood and stained, and is very neat
with crisp edges, all of which suggests that it is a C19 copy.
From the landing another chamfered and scroll-stopped doorframe leads to the rear
block chamber. A more elaborate frame leads to the principal chamber over the inner
room: it has an ovolo-moulded surround with double bar and keeled scroll stops.
Inside the room the fireplace has a C19 chimneypiece but the chimney breast above
has a fine overmantel plaque of moulded ornamental plasterwork. It comprises a vase
of flowers with a foliate frame set in a strapwork cartouche enlivened by lions'
heads and more flowers and set over a frieze identical to that in the inner room
below. All the other first floor features are C19 and C20 although the crosswalls
are probably original oak framing. The original roof structure is intact except for
parts of the closed trusses. The trusses are side-pegged jointed crucks with pegged
lap-jointed collars with dovetail halvings. The C19 addition has a roof of king
post trusses.
Despite its traditional layout Upham appears to be wholly early C17. It is
remarkably well-preserved and contains some high quality detail.

Listing NGR: SY0212490704

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17546968

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Lancashire: Liverpool and the South-West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Herefordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides): Written by Charles O'Brien, 2014 Edition, Publisher: Yale University Press [Hardcover]
• 
  The Listed Buildings and Other Principal Structures at the Royal Gunpowder Mills Waltham Abbey
• 
  Suffolk: West: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)