Description

COLDRIDGE REST LEIGH
SS 60 NE
1/44 Venn Farmhouse
-
- II

Farmhouse. C16 with major late C16 and C17 improvements, modernised 1835 according
to datestone and extended circa 1960 by rebuilding former cider store. Plastered
cob on rubble footings, partly exposed to rear; stone rubble or cob stacks topped
with C19 and C20 brick; thatch roof to main block and slate to circa 1960
extension.
Originally a 3-room-and-cross-passage plan house facing south-east with inner room
(now kitchen) at right (north-eastern) end. Rear of passage now blocked by small
lobby and the exposed cob back wall shows no sign of a rear passage door, maybe
because the house is terraced into a slope. Inner room has projecting end stack
with secondary oven projection, hall has axial stack backing onto passage and
service end room has formerly end stack (now axial since erection that end of circa
1960 1-room extension). Projecting newel turret to rear of hall. 2-storey
outshots behind hall and inner room are probably C17 but refurbished in 1835. 2
storeys.
Main block has a balanced but not quite symmetrical 4-window front of similar C19
casements with glazing bars, those on the ground floor larger than those on the
first. Front passage door left of centre contains a C19 plank door and similar to
secondary doorway at right (inner room) end behind a C20 porch with monopitch
corrugated asbestos roof. Main roof is gable-ended. Circa 1960 extension is also
gable-ended and set back a little from the main front. It has a 1-window front of
circa 1960 casements with glazing bars and a contemporary door. To rear the newel
stair turret is gabled and retains a small C17 oak 3-light window-frame with
chamfered mullions. The outshots include a sandstone date plaque inscribed
"Christopher Born, 1835" and the keystone over one of the windows is a crudely-
carved sandstone head in Norman style.
Interior is largely result of C19 modernisation but the C16 plan survives intact
and enough early features show to suggest that more lie hidden behind C19 plaster.
For instance all the fireplaces are blocked by later grates. The inner room has a
mid C17 crossbeam with broad soffit-chamfer and large bar-scroll stops. Cob
crosswall between inner room and hall. The hall has a high 3-bay ceiling with
early C17 crossbeams; they have deep soffit-chamfers with keeled lozenge stops.
The door to the passage is contemporary with chamfered surround and lozenge stops.
The service end room has an early C17 crossbeam finished like those in the hall.
The new stair, probably late C16-early C17, has massive oak treads. The first
floor includes some C17 oak doorframes, chamfered surrounds and scroll stops,
although not all seem to be in situ. The roof is inaccessible although part of a
C16 or C17 side-pegged jointed cruck shows over the hall, and over the inner room
the base of principals show suggesting a C17 roof here.
The C19 refurbishment of Venn appears to be very superficial and that the early
house is well-preserved although much is hidden. Nevertheless, as it stands, the
C19 plaster and joinery contribute an important element to the house development.

Listing NGR: SS6870805484

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26595829

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

• 
  Norfolk 1: Norwich and North-East: Norwich and North-east v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Pevsner's Architectural Glossary (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Drawing up a Local Listed Building Consent Order: Historic England Advice Note 6
• 
  Sussex: West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Building Small Projects (New Best of Fine Woodworking)