Higher Trayne

Details

ILFRACOMBE

SS54NW BERRYNARBOR 853-1/2/140 Higher Trayne

II

Farmhouse situated on the brink of a coombe. Probably early C19 but partly rebuilt, extended and altered by Oliver Hill c1939-41 for Lady Ballalieu. Gardens also designed by Hill. MATERIALS: render and colour-washed rubble. Synthetic slate roofs replace Hill's thatch; crowstep gables with flashing. PLAN: lateral stack rising the full height of the house to main house and tall slab stack to rear of extension. Western, garden facade of 2 storeys and single-storey left-hand extension. EXTERIOR: 3-window range and 6-window extension. Main house with central, full-height canted bay with 2-light casements having glazing bars and hipped roof, and full-height stack to right. Ground floor to right, a 3-light casement with glazing bars; to left, a French window with glazing bars and having a surround of zigzag design inset slate which continues around a recessed circular panel with radiating slates above. 2-light casements with glazing bars to 1st floor; originally with shutters. Music room extension to left, using 3 walls of an original barn, with 6 full-height triangular bay windows with glazing bars, the bottom two thirds of which can open to the garden giving air or shelter according to the wind. A path of alternating square and rectangular Delabole slabs set within borders of graded beach pebbles from a local river-mouth forms an important feature across the front of the building. Rear, eastern elevation contains the main single storey red brick entrance with slate roof set between 2-storey 1-window colour-washed rendered elevations to the farmyard. Central glazed door with glazing bars flanked by bullseye windows with patterned, leaded glazing; deeply recessed 1st floor with two 16-pane hornless sashes. Left-hand elevation with similar door and 3-light casement; right-hand elevation with three 2-light casements. The roofs and crowstep gables form a picturesque grouping from this side of the house. INTERIOR - ground floor paved with waxed blue-grey-green Delabole slate floors except the living room of strip oak. Hall with slate floor and steps flanked by slate ledged alcoves. Entrances lead off the top of the steps including a central old oak, segmental arched, carved and panelled door. To the left, a winding stair to 1st floor rooms, one with zigzag cupboards. Ground floor living room with angle fireplace having random rubble surround and canted chimneybreast with concave central plane faced with old blue and white tiles. Music room with open brick lined fireplace having rough timber mantel; north wall opened 1976 to form a gallery. This room originally had a full-height mural by Hans Tisdall. Alterations and and extensions to the farmhouse were largely made with stone quarried on the site and with old materials, often using untrained local labour. The garden lay-out was contrived to link house and coombe together with triangular faceted piers and steps (qv) where the garden meets the coombe brink (from which views of the sea and Welsh coast) and a string of small ponds stepping down the slope in front of the house to give reflections. To the north, a walled "Italian" garden with old Irish yews. Higher Trayne forms a group with the garden piers, steps and garden walls. (Country Life: 29 October 1943: London: 1943-: 772-775; Powers A: Oliver Hill, Architect & Lover of Life 1887-1968: London: 1989-).

Listing NGR: SS5403946032

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

390132

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Powers, A, Oliver Hill Architect and Lover of Life 1887-1968, (1989)
Country Life in 29 October, (1943)

End of official list entry