Details
CHURCHSTOW LEIGH
SX 74 NW
5/71
Leigh Barton Farmhouse
GV I
Farmhouse with monastic lodging. C15, C17, renovation and reconstruction from
c.1983. Green-grey schist, slate or asbestos-cement slate roofs. A U-plan
courtyard group, open towards the east; the north range, much reconstructed in
the C17 and re-windowed in the C19, with central hall and remains of screen,
cross passage, and external stair turret to the north. Attached to this an
L-plan C15 range with kitchen, ex tomel gallery to upper lodgings and storage.
The whole is fully described and interpreted by Beric M Morley in the paper
listed below. Rear ranges are in 2 storeys; the kitchen wing, set east-west,
has a recently reconstructed (1988) 6-bay timber gallery on compartmental floor
to moulded beams, and 12-bay panelled balustrade to moulded muntins and hand-
rail, approached by steep flight of 7 stone steps from chamfered plinth. Below
this a 2-light timber casement and wide open to kitchen. Left gable end, to
half hip has remains of a vaulted bread oven, doorway broken through a second
similar area, and square opening at upper level, former doorway. From the
south-east corner a low wall connects across to the adjacent farm buildings (qv)
and contains lower parts of 2 former windows. South front has at each side of a
broad garderobe turret a small opening to shouldered arch and a 2-light stone
mullion and transom casement to cusping and stopped hoodmould; to the right a
buttress with 3 offsets. Left gable is to coped verge, with small ridge stack,
above a shouldered door opening, probably a former window, and a 2-light case-
ment as south face. To the left, the outer wall of the return arm has a stepped
garderobe turret flanked each side by small shouldered opening with iron arma-
ture, and first floor left a 2-light stone cusped casement. The east, courtyard
front of this wing has broad opening to chamfered lintel, partly below the
gallery and at first floor level a single light casement to recessed chamfer
jambs under a granite moulded lintel with dropped ends, not corresponding with
jamb moulding, and a 2-light basket-handle arched casement with transom and
stopped hoodmould, all in granite. Interior: Kitchen has remains of large fire
opening to vaulting on responds, 4 large chamfered beams to renewed floor, and a
timber breast wall to an upper chamber. North wall has splayed openings to door
and casement, and two rectangular recesses. Restructured 4-bay + 2 bay roof on
cruck like principals to high cambered collar. Between to parts a half-timbered
partition to full height. The west range has interior gallery in half-
timbering, returned across the north end and carried on square post to square
base; part here is full height to roof, under reconstruction at time of
inspection (December 1988). Between west and south ranges a wide opening with
bressummer carried on corbel responds, and a long splay from east-side entry.
Farmhouse and hall range: front to inner courtyard has, far left, a small
single light at mid height, then half-hipped porch to chamfered round arch, on
steps from the cobbled courtyard. Above porch a 2-light casement and some
rendering on stonework. To the right a series of C19 casements: at ground floor
2, 3 and 4-light, and at first floor 2, 3 and 3-light. right gable end has
external stack, and single storey lean-to addition. The north front, former
entry side, faces the Gate House (qv) across courtyard. At left a gabled stair
projection with C19 margin-bar casement. To right large external stack to hall
fireplace, then 6-panel C19 door in wider blocked opening to wood lintel, below
a 2-light casement, and a small casement far right. A single lean-to building
abuts the wall linking farmhouse to gatehouse, containing door beneath a moulded
granite fragment as link. The west gable wall has 2-light over 3-light recon-
structed casement. Interior: inspected only in part, retains part of C16 cross
passage screen, and stone spiral stair from hall to right of main fireplace.
The farmhouse largely reconstructed in the C17. A M Devon No 193.
(Beric M Morley; Leigh Barton, Chuchstow, S Devon; Devon Archaeological Society
Proceedings, No 41, 1983).
Listing NGR: SX7201746703
