Details
BERRYNARBOR
SS 54 SE
4/25 Brinscott Farmhouse including
- byre attached at north-east end
- II
Farmhouse with byre attached. Probably early to mid C16, remodelled in late C17
with C19 service wing extension and alterations. Rendered stone rubble. Slate
roofs with gable ends, hipped to rear service wing. Rendered stack heating inner
room at left gable end, and large rendered rear lateral hall stack with offsets.
Interesting plan development. The main range comprises a longhouse, the byre though
altered still used as such at the lower end. The through-passage without front and
rear doors has become fossilized with the blocking up of both doorways into the hall
to left and byre to right. The hall, of greater length than is commonly found in
North Devon, was originally open to the roof, with evidence of a jettied chamber
over the through-passage and lower end of the hall. As the original roof trusses do
not survive, it is uncertain whether this jettied chamber is integral with the
original build of the farmhouse, but it is probable that this represents a partial
flooring of the hall in the early C17, the remainder of the hall being floored and
the hall stack inserted apparently in the late C17. At the same time, the stair
turret to the rear of the hall was presumably added, but this became enclosed by the
rear service wing when the latter was built on in the late C18 or early C19. This
addition was probably accompanied by the insertion of a front door into the hall and
a general remodelling of the upper storey of the farmhouse and replacement of the
roof trusses. There is a very thick partition wall between the hall and inner room,
but this unusually rises only to first floor level. It is possible that the re-
roofing involved the demolition of the upper part of this partition wall, but as the
inner room is featureless, the ceiling joists and fireplace lintel having been
replaced, it is unclear whether the inner room is integral with the original build
or is a later addition. Also in the C19, a single storey slated service outbuilding
was added at right angles to the service wing, forming a small 3-sided rear
courtyard plan, and also a small outbuilding, originally lofted, projecting at right
angles from the front left gable end, with a blocked doorway through from the inner
room. The byre also was extended about 2 metres at the right gable end and the
walls and roof raised to create a loft.
2 storeys. 4-window range. C20 fenestration, all 2-light casements. Slated gable
roof to porch with plank door. The byre has ventilation slits at left end and wide
entrance doorway with timber lintel to right. C19 4-light casement, 2 panes per
light to inner face of rear service wing.
Interior: 2 cross ceiling beams to upper end of hall with cavetto-roll mouldings
terminating in unusual ornate step stops. The upper end bressumer replaced in C19.
Scratch-moulded joists with some replaced at upper end. The jetty ceiling beam at
the lower end of the hall is chamfered and scroll-stopped on the hall side only.
The joists below it are softwood replacements, differently moulded to the rest of
the hall ceiling, every fourth one having ovolo flanking wide fillet mouldings, the
intermediate joists being only roughly chamfered. Hall fireplace has 2 ovens to the
rear wall and a seat recess with shaped head to left-hand wall. The lintel replaced
in C20. To the right of the fireplace is a recess with a cambered brick arch which
may once have served as a smoking chamber. 4-panelled door to inner room, the
fireplace of which has been reduced in width but still retains its oven.
C17 timber treads to staircase to rear of hall intact. Principally C19 joinery with
ledged plank doors to upper storey. C19 rough-pegged trusses of a flat pitch. The
byre also has 4 rough-pegged trusses but with a slightly lower ridge than the main
range. The drainage gutter runs down the central spine.
This is a particularly good example of a little altered longhouse, with the byre
still in use. Comparable North Devon examples are particularly rare.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
97000
Legacy System:
LBS
End of official list entry
