Listed Building record MDR10794 - Rectory Farm Farmhouse, Park Lane, Weston upon Trent

Rectory Farm farmhouse, Park Lane, Weston upon Trent, originally a mid-16th century building. 'This two-storey, timber-framed and brick house with tiled roofs consists of a main north-facing range with two wings of separate dates facing south. A rectory on this site was burnt down in the 14th century, and would have been immediately replaced, probably by an open aisled hall with solar and service rooms. None of this rectory remains, but the present front range was built against a pre-existing hall in about 1480, to contain a larger suite of private rooms. By the very early 17th century the medieval hall was replaced by a timber-walled kitchen and service rooms, creating a complete 17th century yeoman house. The east end of the house was rebuilt in the late 18th century, and much of the timber walling was replaced, or infilled, in brick. The house was a rectory until the 1930s when it became a private dwelling, and for a while the walls were rendered. In 1983 a Pets Cemetery and Crematorium was established here.' (1) 'Rectory Farmhouse presents a façade of two bays of close studded timberwork to the first floor, about a ground floor of brickwork. Within this section are three trusses of principal rafter type carrying single purlins and having tiebeams and collars. This part of the house is listed as being mid-16th century, though in the ceiling of one of the ground floor rooms is a heavily moulded bridging beam. This bridging beam is probably late 15th century and has led to the suspicion that the rest of the house could possibly also be of this date. A rear wing extends to the rear of the house with trusses of similar type, the construction of this portion appearing to be contemporary with the front. Tree ring dating was commissioned to establish a firm construction date, with a total of ten core samples being taken. The results indicated that the timbers used in both the front range and the rear wing were felled at the same time, although there was some evidence to suggest that those from the front range were obtained from a different source to those from the rear wing. All timbers appeared to have been felled in the early part of 1504.' (2) From the National Heritage List for England: 'SK 42 NW PARISH OF WESTON-UPON-TRENT PARK LANE 4/263 (West Side) 10.11.67 Rectory Farmhouse II House. Mid C16 and early C18 with C19 and C20 additions. Close studded timber framing on stone plinth with plaster nogging and corner braces to top, also red brick with dentilled first floor brick band. Steeply pitched plain tile roof with a large external stack to west, which has deep stone base with stepped bricks above, and a brick gable stack to east. Eastern C18 bay also has a brick coped eastern gable and a dentilled eaves band. Two storeys plus garrets, five bays and an irregular plan. Main front has four timber framed bays to west and an early C18 brick bay to east. Ground floor of timber framed part has been partly rebuilt in brick. Central segment headed doorcase with C20 glazed panelled door covered by C19 open porch, has two small paned C20 casement windows to west and a similar window in the brick part to east. Above there are five glazing bar sashes, all of differing sizes, that to west is largest with smallest one to east, slightly larger one beyond and two roughly similar, slightly larger ones beyond again. West gable wall has C20 glazed lean-to of no special interest and attached to south elevation there is an C18 addition with an assortment of segment headed windows and inserted C20 windows. Interior has two deeply moulded ceiling beams to western room and a large early brick four-centred arched fireplace into the external stack, with a relieving arch above. Eastern room has re-set early C17 panelling and two early C18 cupboards to either side of the fireplace with shouldered surrounds. Upstairs much of the close studded timbering is exposed and there are original four-centred arched doorcases. Western bedroom has a bolection moulded fireplace. Listing NGR: SK4010227752.' (4)