Description

# WEST ALVINGTON
SX 74 SW
5/188 Longbrook Farmhouse
26.1.67
G,V. II

Farmhouse. Probably some fabric dating from the C16 but remodelled and extended
in C17 and again in early to mid C18. Roughly coursed slatestone rubble walls.
Gable ended slate roof with early crested ridge tiles to right-hand end. Rebuilt
stone rubble stack at right gable end, 2 brick axial stacks, one offset from the
ridge, and C17 stone rubble stack with dripcourses to cental rear wing.
Plan: Complex structural history which makes the original form of the house
difficult to identify. The long principal range has a large room at the right-
hand end heated by an end stack, a small entrance hall to its left with separate
stairhall beyond and next to that is a parlour: this room and the stairhall were
evidently part of an early to mid C18 remodelling. At the far left-hand end is a
room now self-contained with wing behind, which may originally have been non-
domestic, both were probably added in the later C18 or early C19. There are two
other rear wings, one behind the stairhall and one behind the right-hand room,
both of which are heated and date from circa early C17, the right-hand one was
probably a kitchen as it has a smoking chamber, with a service room beyond.
Extending outwards at right angles from this wing is another small unheated wing,
also presumably for service or non-domestic purposes. There is evidence of 2
blocked newel stairs, one at the right gable end of the house by the stack and one
at the rear towards the centre of the house.
Exterior: 2 storeys. Stone eaves cornice along front of house. Asymmetrical
long 2:4 window front without a visible break in the stonework but the roof pitch
considerably steeper to the left-hand part; and the level of the first floor
windows to the two parts also differs: 4-pane later C19 or early C20 sashes. The ground floor windows mainly have flat stone voussoir arches above, Probably C18 heavy 6 panel door at centre of right-hand part with contemporary flat hood over which has a moulded cornice. The right gable end has a small stair projection behind the chimney. The rear elevation has a long wing projecting from the left end with the curve of a newel stair projection in the angle. Some windows of this wing have stone dripcourses above. A shorter wing projects at the centre with stone eaves cornice along one side. At the right-hand end a wide hipped roof wing projects. A small forecourt is formed at the right-hand end of the house by a slate-coped wall in front of the wing set-back from the front of the house.
Interior: The large right-hand room has a massive fireplace with moulded wooden
lintel, dressed stone jamb to right and two ovens, one stone, one brick. There
are chamfered and stopped cross beams with a similar moulding on their surface and scratch-moulded joists. At the rear of this room is a curved recess with stone roof which formerly housed a newel stair. The stairhall has an C18 open well staircase with turned balusters and newel, ramped handrail, open string and carved tread ends. Leading from this hall to the parlour is a 6 panel door in doorcase with pulvinated frieze. The parlour has fielded panel shutters and an C18 chimneypiece with projecting pilasters. To either side is a cupboard with anarched head. There is a simple decorative plaster ceiling with delicate ribs
forming a geometric design of interconnected rectangles and circles. In one of
the first floor bedrooms is an C18 panelled windowseat. The roof timbers were
probably also renewed in the C18 and do not protrude into the bedrooms.
The right-hand rear wing has a smoking chamber on the ground floor beside the
fireplace which has stone curved walls and shelf.
This is a very interesting and complex farmhouse the plan of which cannot be
easily interpreted and which contains a wealth of good quality features.

Listing NGR: SX7231743561

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26592818

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

• 
  Sussex: West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair
• 
  Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius (Penguin Art & Architecture)
• 
  Kent: North East and East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  County Durham (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England) by Elizabeth Williamson Nikolaus Pevsner(1983-03-11)
• 
  Herefordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)