Listed Building: MANOR FARMHOUSE, DETHICK LANE (1335316)

'SK 35 NW PARISH OF DETHICK, LEA AND HOLLOWAY DETHICK LANE (Off) 1/52 25-9-51 Manor Farmhouse (formerly listed as 'Dethick Manor House') GV II* Farmhouse. Late C16 with alterations and additions in C18, incorporating substantial remains of a C15 Manor House of the Babington family. Massive ashlar gritstone rising in part from a shallow plinth, with coursed rubble work to alterations and later additions. Plain gables, intermediate and gable stacks, two of brick and one of ashlar. Massive stepped external stone stack to rear elevation. Stone slated roofs. Irregular 'U' plan, with later or refashioned crosswings advanced from central range. Two storeys, six bays, with irregular fenestration. Ground floor of central range with openings in massive ashlar. Two doorways with chamfered quoins and lintels, one now blocked to form a window, the other with a planked stable door. Present principal doorway with six panelled door at south-west end of central range. Between the doorways, four tall narrow lights, one to the south-west end with a pointed arched head. North-east crosswing with stacked C19 2-light chamfer mullioned windows flanking central doorway with planked stable door to south-west wall. South-west wing with two C17 single light openings with chamfered surrounds, one now blocked, and above, two C18 openings with flush surrounds to north-east wall. Rear elevation has massive external stack with quoins, and corbels set into masonry below a massive drip. Below corbels, a stone slated lean-to with a doorway inserted at north-east end. Former 3-light recessed chamfer mullioned window at south-west end of main range, and blocked C17 opening above. Rear gable to crosswing at north-east end is set back, and partially overlapped by main range. It has single light openings with ovolo moulded surrounds below hoodmoulds with stops to ground and first floors, and a roundel in an octagonal surround to gable apex. The north-east side wall is buttressed, and incorporates two substantial corbels. Interior: the central range contains a triple arched hearth range, the centremost one wider than the two flanking openings, the arches unmoulded, but out of proportion to the present house. The spine beam and joists are substantial, and appear to pre-date the external fabric. The four bay roof of the main range is of double purlin construction with curved wind braces and tie beam trusses, which are closed with studwork. One truss is arch braced. History: the Manor House of the Babington family stood near this site. Anthony Babington, leader of the Babington plot to restore Mary Queen of Scots to the throne, lived here, and was executed in 1586. The present farmhouse was the model for Thackers Farm in Alison Uttley's novel 'A Traveller in Time'. Listing NGR: SK3276857980.'