Details
ST NEOT
SX 16 NE
9/126 West Killatown Farmhouse
- II
Farmhouse, now house. Probably early C17 origin, with additions and alterations of
later C17, and C18; C19 and C20 alterations. Slatestone rubble with granite
dressings, partly slate-hung. Slurried slate roof with handmade crested ridge tiles,
hipped to right and with gable end to left. Gable end stack with brick shaft to
left, rear lateral hall stack with rubble shaft, slate weathering and shaped top.
Plan: The development of the house is in 3 main phases. Originally a 2-room and
through passage plan; hall/kitchen to left, heated by rear lateral stack, with
central passage and lower end room to right. The lower end room may originally have
been heated by a gable end stack; the roof is hipped at this end, where there may
have been subsequent rebuilding. Alternatively, the lower end room may always have
been unheated. In the late C17, a hall bay was built to the rear, to the left of the
stack, and the inner room was added to the higher left end. Probably in the C18, an
unheated lean-to was added to the front of the hall, as a dairy, set in the angle to
the porch at the front of the passage. In the C19, the lower end room was used as a
cider room, with apple loft above; also probably in the C19, an barn was added to the
rear of the lower end, and a lean-to, originally open-fronted, to the rear of the
passage. The site of the original stair is not clear, but is probably in the
position of the existing stair, to the front of the hall. The present front of the
house would originally have been the rear; the main approach to the house would have
been from the east, now from the west.
Exterior: 2 storeys, the present west front is an asymmetrical 3-window range, all
windows C20 replacements. To right, the lower end has wall broken forward slightly,
possibly a rebuilding of the original lower end, with 3-light casement at ground
floor and 2-light casement at first floor. Stone porch with pitched roof, inner 3-
centred arched door in granite, hollow-chamfered, with pintles remaining from earlier
door, C20 door. 2-light casement above. To left there is the dairy lean-to of
single storey, with C20 window to each side; C20 window at ground floor to left.
Straight joint to the inner room to left, with 3-light casement at ground and first
floor. Left end wall blind. Right end is rendered at ground floor, slate-hung at
first floor, with 3-light casement at ground and first floor. Stepped forward to
right, 2-storey barn with slate roof with ridge tiles and gable ends; this has narrow
opening at ground floor with granite lintel, 2-light casement with timber lintel at
first floor. Gable end has double doors; inner side has door with strap hinges and
granite lintel. At the rear of the passage, there is a single storey lean-to,
originally open-fronted, with granite monolith pier remaining at each side, wall
between piers of late C20. 2-light casement to left of door and 2-light casement to
end left. Inside the lean-to, rear passage doorway is the same as the front, also
with pintles remaining. At first floor, two 2-light casements. To right is the
external hall stack, with the oven projecting at the base inside the lean-to. To the
right is the gabled hall bay of the later C17; this has 3-light C17 granite window at
ground floor, chamfered on the outside and hollow-chamfered within, with 3-pane
casements, one with L hinges; similar 2-light granite casement at first floor. Inner
room to right has a chamfered granite 3-light casement at ground floor, first floor
has 2-light 6-pane casement.
Interior: From the passage, the lower end room is at the same floor level; much
remodelled probably in C19 and C20. One step up to left to the hall. This has a
slate floor, and is ceiled. The rear lateral stack has a fireplace with heavy plain
granite lintel, with granite monolith jamb to left, rubble jamb to right; ash pit to
left and oven to right. Recess to right, with C20 window (within the lean-to). The
left side of the flue has a granite niche with wooden sill, possibly spice cupboard.
The hall bay window is hollow-chamfered internally. To the front of the hall is a
C19 stair, with a ramped and moulded string on the wall, possibly the site of a n
earlier stair. Wide opening into the former dairy, which also has a slate floor.
There is a masonry wall about one metre thick to the inner room, which has small
gable end fireplace with plain granite lintel. In the chamber over the hall, there
is a fireplace set at the side of the flue; this has a flat granite lintel.
Roof: The roof is not fully accessible, but appears to be of the same construction
throughout, the feet of the principals visible at first floor; probably of early C18,
with principal rafters halved and crossed at the apex, pegged, with diagonal ridge
purlins.
Listing NGR: SX1892970707
