| Description | House dated 1741. Constructed of thin coursed hammer dressed stone, stone slate roof and of a 2 storey hall and cross wing plan. L shaped to the south front. F shaped to the north with added kitchen wing. There are 3 rooms to the south front of 3 bays. The 1st bay is a gabled cross wing which has a double framed chamfered mullioned window with square reveals of 5 lights, formerly with hoodmould. Over was a similar window altered in the late 18th or early 19th century to 2 large 12 pane sash windows with plain stone surrounds. Bays 2 and 3 have slightly recessed flat faced thin mullioned windows of 4 lights to each floor. Between is a doorway with a square headed lintel decoratively inscribed with the date. One finely dressed stack at the junction of the cross wing and right hand gable to which is attached a 2 cell building of earlier date, (possibly mid 16th century), which features diamond set wooden mullioned windows of 3 lights visible from the interior only, to both floors, and a fireplace with Tudor arched lintel and finely carved rosette spandrels. The left hand return wall of cross wing has flat faced mullioned window of 5 lights with 4 light over. 2 block windows survive to 1st floor. Extruded gable stack. Gable to rear kitchen wing has quoins and slightly recessed flat faced thin mullioned windows of 5 lights to each floor. Attached single storey gabled outshot has entrance doorway with tie stones 3 light chamfered mullioned window with square reveals.
Interior: Cross wing has late 18th century fireplace to Georgianized 1st floor south front room with ovolo moulded surround and pulvinated frieze. Kitchen wing has panelled screen of deal formed of large panels. Text edited from English Heritage's National Heritage List.
Lillands farm was also visited by Colum Giles as part of the RCHME's Rural Houses survey. Although not mentioned in the subsequent report, the following notes were taken during the visit:
This is a stone house, dating from the 17th and 18th centuries. It is of two storeys faces south and is built throughout in coursed rubble masonry.
The house appears to have three main phases. The earliest lies at the east end, and gives a single cell of probably mid 17th century date. The next, late 17th century phase is represented by the wing to the west; and the final phase, built in 1741 occupies the area between these two earlier builds.
The mid 17th century building survives only in part. It is of two storeys, and has a single room at both levels. On its east gable wall it has an early fireplace, with a four centred head and carved spandrels. The ground floor room has a stop chamfered cross beam. The rooms on both floors were lit originally by windows with wooden diamond mullions; the windows are largely blocked, but the mullions survive intact. It is not clear whether the mullions should be taken as evidence for an early date or for an inferior structure. The buildings of the area show a wealth of stone construction in the 17th century and perhaps this part of Lillands Farm is to be interpreted as a parlour built (perhaps onto an earlier timber hall range) by a man of modest fortune.
In the late 17th or even early 18th century, a wing was added at the west end of the suggested earlier hall range. The wing is gabled to north and south and has remains of windows with recessed splayed mullions and square sectioned hood moulds. It is difficult to interpret the function of the wing, for there is little original detail in the interior.
In 1741 the central block was built between the two earlier builds to east and west. It has two cells on the main south front, with a central entry. The doorway has a square lintel, inscribed with the date in decorative lettering. A hood mould runs over the ground floor openings. The windows have recessed square mullions. |