Kerswell Farmhouse

Details

EXMINSTER SX 98 NW

4/27 Kerswell Farmhouse

- II

Farmhouse. Circa early C16 origins, circa/mid C17 remodelling and addition. Whitewashed rendered cob and stone; thatched roof, gabled at left end, half hipped at right end of main range, front wing hipped at end, left hand rear wing half-hipped at end, right hand rear wing gabled at end; left end and axial stacks to main range, end stack to right hand rear wing. The present plan is a 3 room and through passage main range (lower end to the left) with an unheated front right service wing adjoining the inner room and 2 rear left service wings (1 heated) adjoining the lower end. There are several unusual and interesting features to the plan. The main range was originally an open hall house, open above the present lower end, passage and middle room (no access to roof over right hand end). A change in floor levels suggests that the flooring over took place in 2 stages, the lower end and passage probably floored over first. When the middle room (and probably inner room) was floored the hall stack was inserted backing on to the passage. The front right wing appears to be mid C17 and could be coeval with the flooring of the hall - it may have been used as a dairy. Although the interior detail is finer in the hall than the lower end, the circa mid C17 fenestration, with a larger lower end than hall window, suggests either that the lower end had become the principal end of the house by the mid-C17 or possibly that the house was divided and required 2 principal rooms. The 2 rear left wings are probably early C18 or later. 2 storeys. Asymmetrical 3 window front with a front right wing. Eaves thatch eyebrowed over 3 first floor windows. Approximately central boarded front door to passage with rectangular fanlight. Good set of C17 windows: 5-light ovolo-moulded timber mullioned window to left of front door, similar 4-light first floor window above. The 2 remaining first floor windows are 3-light with timber octagonal mullions. To the right of the front door, a 1-light window with internal shutter, then the 3-light ovolo-moulded timber mullioned hall window. The front right wing has 1 small 2-light C17 timber mullioned window. Other attractive exterior features include sash windows with glazing bars to the rear righthand wing and rear of the main range. Interior: The hall (middle room) has 3 cross beams, 1 deeply chamfered cross beam with ogee stops, and a large open fireplace with chamfered brecchia jambs and a roughly-moulded timber lintel. The partition between the hall and inner room no longer exists. The left hand room has rough cross beams and a large, probably C19 fireplace with narrow stone jambs and a brick lintel. To the rear of the room a circa late C17/ early C18 dog-leg stair with bobbin-turned balusters, octagonal handrail and newel post with ball finial. The right hand of the 2 rear wings has an open fireplace with brecchia jambs and a plain lintel. The first floor retains C19 and C18 joinery. 3 smoke-blackened side-pegged jointed cruck trusses above the hall have a diagonally-set ridge and are complete with battens, purlins and smoke- blackened thatch. There has been some replacement of trusses over the lower end but the smoke-blackened purlins survive. No access to roof space over inner room or front wing, but the principals visible on the first floor of the wing are nicely- moulded, side-pegged jointed crucks. An early house with numerous surviving C17 features and some unusual aspects to the plan. According to Oliver "Carswell" was a prebend providing an income for 1 of the 4 prebendaries of the Church of St Mary within the castle of Exeter. The list of prebendaries of "Carswell" dates back to the C13. Oliver, G, The History of the City of Exeter (1861) p.p. 193-205

Listing NGR: SX9294686811

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

85444

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Oliver, G, The History of the City of Exeter, (1861), 193-205

End of official list entry

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