Description

DIPTFORD
Cleave Farmhouse
SX75SW
8/200

GV II

Farmhouse. Late C18 total remodelling of a C17 or earlier house which has
been virtually unaltered since the late C18. Local slate rubble and with
some quartz, the upper section of the right hand end wall is plastered and
it is likely that the whole house was once plastered. Scantle slate roof,
hipped at right end and gabled at left end. Moulded wooden eaves cornice
with plastered coving. Early crested ridge tiles, the tile over the hip
has an ogee shaped finial which is a rare survival. The roof over the left
end has lower level plain eaves and large stone rubble gable end stack with
slate weathering. Large projecting rear lateral chimney stack, its oven
has slate weathered roof and the shaft is rendered. Another stack at the
back with a brick shaft rising from the rear catslide roof.
Plan: A complete remodelling in the late C18, if not a total rebuilding,
of an earlier house. The plan was entirely changed. The main range has 2
principal rooms heated from rear lateral stacks and a central entrance to
the stairhall between. The left hand room, possibly the kitchen or hall of
the earlier house, has a large rear lateral stack which was altered to
serve a back service room as well. This service room together with the
unheated room behind the right hand room is contained in a 2 storey outshut
which was added in the late C18 behind the main range. At the lower end of
the main range the kitchen with a large gable end fireplace and smoking
chamber and stairs up to the servant's chamber above. At the left end of
the kitchen a single storey lean-to washhouse and small courtyard with a
pentice roof around, under which is the well and pump.
Exterior: 2 storeys. Symmetrical 3-bay south front plus 1-window bay
service wing to left. The 3-bay part has the moulded and coved eaves
cornice and late C18 2-light 12-pane sashes in moulded exposed cases. The
ground floor windows have segmental brick arches with keystones. The
central first floor window is a late C18 single-light sash with 16 panes.
Some of the front windows retain their original moulded wooden cills.
Central doorway with 6-panel door, the bottom 2 panels flush and fielded
panels above. The large porch canopy is supported on 2 replacement iron
columns. The lower 2-storey 1-window service wing to left has a C19 2-
light casement with glazing bars on both floors.
The back of the house is also completely unaltered. To the left the
catslide roof over the 2-storey outshut has a half-dormer and C19 casement
windows. In the angle with the main range to the right and partly
overlapped by the outshut in the projecting rear lateral stack with a
rounded oven with slate weathering. To the right of this is the service
range with a small single-light window.
A washhouse outshut at the left hand (west) lower end; adjoining the wash-
house a small courtyard enclosed by a wall with a pentice roof on the
inside under which is the well and pump with a granite trough.
At the rear in the angle with the outshut a C20 glazed conservatory.
Interior: Late C18 open well staircase at the left hand side at the back
of the stairhall with chinoiserie lattice balustrade, square newel and
moulded string. All original fielded 6-panel doors in moulded architraves.
The left hand room has a late C18 moulded wooden chimneypiece with heavy
moulded cornice and mantelpiece and late C19 oven. Panelled window
shutters throughout. The right hand room has a late C18 wooden
chimneypiece with a dentilled moulded cornice and pilasters and a frieze
with garlands of wheat husks. The first floor has fielded 2-panel doors.
The left hand first floor room has a late C18 chimneypiece with eared
architrave and moulded shelf and a late C18 hanging cupboard with panelled
double doors and drawer below. The right hand room has similar late C18
chimneypiece with eared architrave and moulded mantelshelf.
The rear service rooms with part of a plank and muntin partition between,
probably reused from the earlier house. The right hand back room is
unheated. The left hand back room has a wide fireplace with a chamfered
wooden lintel with one straight cut stop and stone rubble jambs; this
fireplace adjoins the front room fireplace which served the original
kitchen in the main range. Both the rear service rooms have chamfered
cross beams, the one at the centre has hollow step stop.
The lower end servants wing has a kitchen on the ground floor with a very
large fireplace with chamfered lintel with run-out stops and a smoking
chamber to the left. The ceiling joists are closely spaced and one is a
reused principal rafter with mortices for threaded purlins.
The late C18 staircase up to the servants chamber above has stick balusters
and square newels; a cupboard on the first floor has a 2-panel door.
The late C18 roofs have halved collars nailed and pegged to the faces of
the principals.
A remarkably complete farmhouse with virtually no alterations since the
late C18.

Listing NGR: SX7438053270

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26610593

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)
• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of Historic Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
• 
  Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas and Monuments
• 
  Kent: West and the Weald: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Wiltshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)