Listed Building: PRIORY FARMHOUSE (278844)

TM 03 NE GREAT WENHAM OFF CHURCH ROAD (EAST 3/70 SIDE) 22.2.55 Priory Farmhouse GV II* House, C15 or earlier with later alterations and additions including C16 wing and chimney stack dated 1699. timber framed and plastered, exposed frame to first floor of west wing. Off centre left chimney stack to hall. Large square chimneystack between the right gabled wings, stack with moulded base and capping, 2 round headed arches with geometric panel below and date 1699. Hall, one storey and attics, left cross wing, 2 storeys, right crosswing and gabled extension crosswing, 2 storeys and attics. Gable dormer to hall. 1:2:2:1 window range of various small paned casements and vertically sliding sashes, louvred window to ground floor of left crosswing which retains a C19 dairy. Recessed porch to right crosswing, 6 panelled door, moulded surround, segmental head to rayed fanlight. There is a single storey lean-to extension to left return of this crosswing. Internally much of the original frame is concealed by later decorations, but little has been altered this century. The left crosswing is till in use as the scullery with quarry tiled floor, original arches to fireplace and bread oven. Internal pump. Very large brick and stone sink. Brick copper. C18 corner cupboard. Servants bells. Nailed vertically boarded doors lead into the dairy and game larder and a similar door leads into the original hall. The only visible features in the hall are a heavy chamfered bridging joist to probably inserted ground floor ceiling and a halved and bridled top plate scarf in the bedroom above. Entrance hall in the right crosswing with Victorian coloured tiled floor and archway. Fine C17 well staircase with moulded string, heavy turned balusters and newels with turned finials, moulded handrail. Nailed and moulded door with original strap hinges to attic newel stairs. Butlers pantry to right of entrance hall. the drawing room and bedroom over in the extension right crosswing have fine plaster ceilings, circa 1600, that in the Drawing room of 4 panels divided by a moulded and enriched bridging joist and moulded cross straps, similar straps connect the panels to walls and cross straps. The panels of scroll and jewel work in moulded rectangular frames with enriched centres. The bedroom ceiling is similar but the larger scrollwork panels have no frames, side straps or jewel motifs, instead there are many pendant acorns. There is a moulded fire surround with corner patera and blue Delft tiles. Backing this fireplace in the adjacent bedroom is a similar fireplace but with brown tiles depicting the four seasons, cast iron grates. The attic of the right extension crosswing retains the original floor boards, jowled storey posts and side purlin roof with cambered collars. Collars framed and pegged with 2 pegs each side. The left crosswing of 2 bays with jowled storey posts appears to be C15 with heavy close set wall studs. Original floor boards to this crosswing bedroom. Listing NGR: TM0726038174