Dixies Farm House

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Unsurprisingly, the function and shape of Dixies Farmhouse has changed considerably with passing time.  It is currently home to two separate families, each possessing a small garden and some outbuildings, some of which were once part of a much larger farmyard.

In the nineteenth century both Tithe Surveys and Census returns revealed that Dixies Farm belonged to the Chapman family and was one of the major farms in the village, consisting of some 300 acres and employing 18 men and 8 boys.  At this time, land immediately attached to the farmhouse included a field, where the house to the right now stands, and orchards across the road, Dixies farmyard behind, a dovecote (still extant) and land which reached to Back Street and up the hill beyond.

The original building is timber-framed and dates back in part to the fifteenth century, with an additional wing to the right, which housed a former farm brew house – sadly no more.  It’s now a sitting room! 

To the right, you can see a picture of some of the original medieval roof timbers, including a handsome king post, which still upholds the roof under the right hand gable.