TQ 64 NE CAPEL MAIDSTONE ROAD, WHETSTEAD 2/269 Stone Castle Farmhouse 11.1.90 GV II Farmhouse. Early C17 (parts, it is claimed, are medieval), modernised and enlarged in the mid/late C19. Original building was timber-framed. Now ground floor level is underbuilt with red brick and the front is clad with stucco and lightly incised as ashlar. The surviving framing above is tile hung in bands of dark and light red C19 tiles including 3 types of shaped tile. C19 extension is red brick at ground floor level with a cogged brick cornice and framing above is tile-hung. Brick stacks and chimneyshafts. Peg- tile roof with fleur-de-lys shaped crested ridge tiles. Plan: Farmhouse faces south south east, say south. The main block has a continuous jetty round 3 sides and a 3-room lobby entrance plan. Axial stack between left (west) and centre rooms serves back-to-back fireplaces and lobby entrance in front of the stack. The right (east) end room has a gable end stack (probably a C19 insertion). A 2-room plan block to rear is parallel with the main block projecting to right (east) and only overlapping that end room. It is heated by an axial stack and maybe houses the main stair. Rear of centre a one-room plan single storey block with a lateral stack projects at right angles; it is probably a bakehouse. The main block appears to be an early C17 continuous jetty house but the owner claims that it incorporates the extensive remains of a medieval hall house. It is not possible to determine the structural development of the house without an interior inspection. The rear blocks appear to be wholly C19. Main block is 2 storeys with attics in the roofspace. C19 2-storey extension, single storey bakehouse and leant-to outshot rear of the left (west) end. Exterior: Attractive 3-window front. The left 2-window section is symmetrical around the central doorway; a Tudor arch containing an old, maybe C17, studded oak plank door with ornate wrought iron strap hinges behind a C19 gabled porch on plain posts and C19 bargeboards with a fretwork pattern, apex finial and pendant. Each side are C19 bay windows containing tripartite sash windows without glazing bars. Their stucco sills supported on shaped consoles. Third similar tripartite sash window at right end. The timber mullioned windows on the firt floor are probably C19 replacements but may be C17. First floor jetty covered by probably C19 moulded timber faschia boards. Each end corner supported on plain shaped brackets, set diagonally (presumably under dragon beams). The shaped brackets each side of the front porch are carved with strapwork designs. The 2 left first floor windows above have jettied gables over supported on oak brackets carved with foliage and the bressummers are richly moulded. Main roof is tall and steeply-pitched and is gable-ended. It has original jettied gables, also with carved brackets and moulded bressummers. They have plain C19 bargeboards with finials and pendants. Rear C19 block has a porch in angle with the right end of the main block; it contains a 6-panel door. To right of the porch another tripartite sash with no glazing bars and the mullion-and-transom window above has a gable over with bargeboards cut to a fret design. Roof of this rear block is gable- ended. Interior: Not available for inspection at the time of this survey, but the farmer claims that it contains a great deal of early C17 and, according to him, medieval carpentry detail. Even if the house is wholly early C17 the features of that date which show on the outside are enough to show that not only is the house well-preserved but also that it was a high quality house. No alterations should be carried out here before the interior has been professionally inspected lest early C17 or earlier, features are disturbed. Listing NGR: TQ6581846204