Details
SS 72 SW
5/82
20.2.67
MARIANSLEIGH
ALSWEAR
White Hart
GV
II
House, in use as an inn until the early C20. Late medieval origins, remodelled in
the C17, extended in the C18, refashioned at the right (west) end in the circa early
C19, C20 renovations. Cob on stone rubble footings, plastered on the front and rear
left elevations, roughcast to the rear right; roof, hipped and rounded at the left
end, gabled at the right end, thatched to left of centre, slated to right of centre;
front lateral stack with a tall stone shaft rebuilt in brick at the top, rear left
lateral stack serving a corner fireplace, right end stack.
Plan: North-facing. Single depth plan, 5 rooms wide with a through passage in the
centre, lower end to the right (west), very small 6th room at the left end (formerly
a second entrance). Lean-to at right end. The higher end consists of a hall, heated
by the front lateral stack, and an inner room parlour heated by a corner fireplace
with an unheated room at the left (east). Of the 2 rooms below the passage one is
unheated and the extreme right west end room is now a kitchen, heated by a probably
C19 stack. The development of the house is complex. It originated as a late
medieval open hall house of jointed cruck construction, the medieval house extending
westward from the thick east wall of the room heated from the front lateral stack.
Only one bay of the medieval roof survives, and it is not clear how far the house
extended to the west. The front lateral hall stack was added in the C17, probably
before the hall was floored, judging from the height of the fireplace lintel. The
inner room is probably an early C18 addition and may be co-eval with the introduction
of a straight run stair within the hall, parallel to the through passage. The room
at the left end could be a post C18 addition: it includes access to the Well. The
evolution of the lower end is puzzling. There is no evidence of early stacks and the
first floor walling is thin, probably C19. The roof construction is consistent with
an early C19 date. It would seem that the lower end has either been largely rebuilt
or was possibly single-storey and in semi-agricultural or agricultural use until the
C19. The right (west) end stack has a bread oven and is still in use as a kitchen.
Exterior: 2 storeys. Very long irregular 6 window north front curving to follow a
bend in the road. Recessed front door to right of centre, the rounded chamfered
timber doorframe late C16 or C17, the jambs mortised into the lintel with a good late
C16 or C17 plank and cover strip front door with strap hinges. The lateral stack, to
the left of the door, has a rounded bread oven bulge. 2 fine early C18 ground floor
windows, one to the hall and one to the parlour; paired 12-pane sashes to the hall
with thick. moulded glazing bars and old glass, scratched with several names and
dates, the earliest date 1723. The parlour window is a 2-light casement. 9 panes per
light, with similar glazing bars and old glass. Other windows are 1-, 2- and 3-light
casements, mostly C20 except for one 2-light C19 small pane casement to the right of
the front door. The rear elevation has 1-, 2- and 3-light C20 casements and two
1980s glazed porches.
Interior: Extensive C20 restoration has involved the replacement of most of the
ceiling beams, although some early carpentry and joinery does survive. There is a
section of probably late C16 or C17 plank and muntin screen between the passage and
the hall. The hall preserves a good, probably early C17 open fireplace with neat
dressed stone jambs and a chamfered stopped timber lintel very close to the height of
the ceiling. The stair within the hall is enclosed with wide, probably C18
horizontal boarding. The inner room has two C18 2-panel doors, one with a narrow
applied moulding to the panels and a chamfered crossbeam. The partition walls of the
lower end rooms have been exposed, they are timber stud construction with brick
infill, the timbers of slender scantling.
Roof: Over the hall one late medieval smoke blackened jointed cruck truss survives,
below a later roof. The truss formerly had a diagonally-set ridge, the jointed
crucks are side-pegged. Some smoke-blackened rafters also survive in situ to the
front of the house but cut off above the purlin, those on the south side are re-used.
The slate roof is supported on early C19 king post and strut trusses.
An interesting evolved house of medieval origins on a prominent corner site in
Alswear.
Listing NGR: SS7241922121
