Listed Building: SHORTS FARMHOUSE (281355)

THORNDON TM 16 NW 3/74 Shorts Farmhouse - II* Farmhouse. Mid C16 hall range, altered and extended to north, perhaps early C19. Circa 1600 parlour cross-wing to west and remains of contemporary stair wing to north. Hall range is timber framed: good close-studded first floor to south, formerly jettied; to the east, exposed tie beam braces and later studding infilling a former open truss, indicating the range once extended further. Ground floor of hall range underbuilt in colourwashed brick. C19 extension has colourwashed brick on the ground floor and plaster above. Parlour wing has crowstepped brick gable end to south with C19 copings. The remainder of this wing has an original brick ground floor, now colourwashed, and plastered studding above. Plaintiled roof, altered to a hipped form to the east when the C19 addition was made. 2 storeys with attic in parlour wing. Hall range has various C19 casement windows. One blocked C16 first floor window to south with mutilated moulded sill. South gable end of parlour wing has original 3-light mullion and transom attic window; C19 5-light windows to ground and first floors, also with a transom. All 3 windows had quoined stucco surrounds, that to the ground floor window now in C19 white brick, the others in C20 cement render. Remains of original hoodmoulds. Side wall of this wing has blocked original window opening at ground floor and 2 original upper windows with heavy ovolo mullions, one with intact diamond glazing bars. Remains of stair wing to north (rear) has an original 2-light window with hoodmould and quoining. Former lobby entrance into hall range has C19 colourwashed brick porch with embattled parapet, the door replaced by a mid C20 canted bay window. To the east, facing the road, is a further doorway with C19 6-panel raised and fielded door (upper 2 panels glazed), corniced doorcase and timber trellis porch. Hall range has stack at junction with wings: square red brick shaft, largely rebuilt C19. Side wall of wing has remains of original stack to upper floor together with a small C19 external shaft. Interior. Hall ceiling has roll-moulded cross-beams and similarly- moulded joists with leaf stops. Further moulding to all the wallposts (to ground level) and to the mid rail at each end of the room. Fireplace lintol enriched with moulding and folded leaf carving. Chamber above has a cambered ceiling with moulded cross-beams and joists (half concealed by plaster). Newel stair to rear has C19 treads laid over the originals; the newel post has mortices for an attic flight, now lost. Parlour has 2 ovolo bridging beams and concealed joists. At first floor, a 2-bay chamber at the front and a one- bay room behind: the chamfered ceiling beams are carried on ovolo-moulded posts and were once arched-braced to them. Some heavy studding. Roof over parlour wing is of side purlin form, heavily constructed. Roof over hall range altered and not examined in detail. Listing NGR: TM1425768018