4 Wakefield Road, Oulton, Leeds, West Yorkshire: building recording

The building was recorded photographically both prior to and during refurbishment. In its current form the house dates to the 17th century with documentary records going back to a sale in 1665. Its plan form is earlier, suggestive of a cross-passage house with an inserted chimney. Rustic roof trusses and re-use of wood also point to an earlier date. It is suggested that an earlier timber-framed house was demolished and rebuilt in stone in the 17th century, reusing the roof trusses and other timber where possible to keep costs down, leading to a high-quality frontage and lower quality interior. The inglenook likely had a timber and daub bay rising up through the first floor to a hood within the roof space. This was likely replaced when the dividing gable and new chimney stack were constructed to conform to modern standards. Any trace of the hood was removed with the replacement roof. Chimneys within the gable ends were likely inserted as finances allowed. The outshot is present by 1840 and again reuses much timber in its roof construction and a 17th century date for it is hard to rule out.