Details
ST OO NE KENTISBEARE
8/84 Mortimer's Farmhouse
-
II
Farmhouse. Probably early C16, with later alterations and additions. Mainly
roughcast cob on stone footings; the higher end extension of random rubble, all
under concrete pantile roof, gable end to right, hipped to left.
Plan: originally a conventional 3 room, through-passage plan house, the higher end
to the right of the passage (n.b. the front faces away from the farmyard). This was
open to the roof, which is of jointed cruck construction, the timbers smoke-
blackened throughout. The unusual feature of the house is the presence of a 4th
room, probably added later, at the higher end, which also has a heavily smoke-
blackened room; first floors and stacks were inserted probably in the late C16 or
C17. Axial (formerly end) stack heats service end; axial stack backing onto passage
heats hall; axial (formerly end) stack heats inner room, all stacks with brick
shafts. Winder stairs to rear of hall. A former dairy and associated service
rooms, probably C19, form a cross wing at the lower end; this has been converted
into living accommodation (late C20). 2 storeys.
Exterior: Front: 3 window range, 2-light casement windows to first floor; ground
floor casement windows, of 2-lights to service end and inner room, 3 lights to hall,
all C20, timber, with glazing bars. Porch to passage, gabled end and pantiled.
Rear with later outshut. The converted dairy wing has been heightened; C20
fenestration throughout.
Interior: service end with chamfered axial beam, with runout (or eroded) stops;
housings for wattles indicate a partition at this point, now removed. Hall with 2
and 2 half axial ceiling beams, chamfered with pyramid stops; remains of a plank and
muntin screen between hall and inner room, partly dismantled and mostly covered
over. Fireplace with Beer stone jambs. Inner room with 2 and 3 half axial ceiling
beams, one with scroll stops, the other stops eroded. Deeply chamfered and
unstopped cross ceiling beam to higher end extension.
Roof: 3 jointed crucks survive; hall and inner room were each of one bay, higher
end extension of 2. The original length of service end is not known; the truss
dividing it from the hall is sooted on both sides, and the ridge piece is further
supported by 2 sooted uprights; the truss between hall and inner room is smoke-
blackened to both sides, and was closed at some point, the plaster and wattle
partition sooted to hall side only.
Crucks with cranked collars, the apex fixed by a yoke, with diagonal ridge piece;
some blackened rafters survive; 2 sets of purlins.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
95739
Legacy System:
LBS
End of official list entry
