Listed Building record MDR12462 - No. 56 Ripley Road, Crowtrees Farmhouse, Ripley

No. 56 Ripley Road, Crowtrees Farmhouse, Ripley, originally a 15th century building. The listed building description states that samples from one of the cruck trusses was carbon dated to 1450, although it does not give the processing laboratory or any other information. Such a date is very much in keeping with the architectural style of this form of truss, it being a common design of the mid-15th century. Further tree ring analysis of a total of eight samples from the three cruck trusses at this site resulted in the production of two site chronologies. The earlier gives the timbers of the arch-braced truss a felling range of 1435 to 1470, with a likely felling date of c1450. The later chronology shows that the timbers of truss 1 were felled between late 1616 and early 1617. The latter date was unexpected and indicates that there was some rebuilding or alteration in 1616/17 or soon afterwards. (1) Stone built around a timber frame house, containing two pairs of crucks. The owner has preserved a pannel of wattle and daub near the front door. (2) Crowtrees Farm, Heage, a circa 1500 open hall building. Originally open hall, parlour and service or byre lower end. Front and north gable cased in stone in 1712. Framing on west wall may or may not be original. (3) Vernacular building dated to 1712 indicated by datestone. It fronts onto a cruck building. (4) From the National Heritage List for England: 'SK 35 SE RIPLEY RIPLEY ROAD, HEAGE (north side) 3/106 Crowtrees Farmhouse 29.11.65 II Farmhouse. C15, encased in late C17 and 1712, restored c1980. Cruck frame, encased to front with coursed squared stone and to the rear with box timber framing, stone dressings. C20 concrete tile roof with concrete coped gables on plain kneelers, brick gable stacks and rebuilt brick ridge stack. Two storeys, 4 bays, lobby entrance plan. South front of stone has off-centre quoined doorcase with lintel inscribed 'SM 1712' and C20 glazed door. 4-light recessed and chamfered mullion window to east with similar 2-light window beyond, and 2 C20 reconstituted stone mullion windows to west, one of 2-lights and one of 3-lights. Above 4 2-light recessed and chamfered mullion window, 2 to west C20. East gable wall has 2 2-light ground floor mullion windows and 3-light mullion window over with dripmould. Rear elevation has 11 panels of timber framing, and C20 fenestration. Interior has 3 full cruck trusses with cambered ties, that to centre with large arched braces to collar, (carbon dated to c1450) and smoke blackened soffit. Substantial timber stud partition to ground floor of eastern truss. Large ingle-nook to central room with chamfered bressummer, bracketed stone fireplace and brick flue probably inserted 1712. Listing NGR: SK3743350521.' (5)