Bickham

Details

NORTH HUISH SX75NW 4/447 Bickham 9.2.61 GV II

Farmhouse. Probably C17 with a circa mid C19 addition at the south end. Stone mostly slate rubble, the circa 1850 addition rendered and lined out. Slate roofs, the rear north wing with gable end, the circa 1850 addition has hipped slate roof with deep eaves, the slates coated with bitumen, and the eaves have moulded cast iron gutters. Large rendered axial stack over the north wing, the rear lateral stack has been truncated. The rear stacks of the mid C19 addition have also been truncated. Plan: The north wing was probably a 2 or 3 room and through passage plan, the lower end to the left (south). The right end may have been the inner room or it may be an addition (straight masonry joint at front east); in either case its large rear lateral stack suggests this end was converted into a kitchen. Probably in C19 the higher end was partitioned and another stack inserted into the passage with back-to-back fireplaces, one fireplace heating the newly formed centre room and the other fireplace heating the lower room. In circa 1850 the lower left end of the lower room was truncated and a spacious 2 room plan south facing block with a central entrance hall was built at about 80 to the old range which was relegated to a rear service wing. Although the 1850 format is symmetrical the right hand room is smaller and the symmetry is achieved by placing the doorway to the left of the stair hall with a classical porch in the middle of the facade. Exterior: 2 storeys. The circa 1850 addition facing south has a symmetrical 3 window front with 16-pane sashes, centre first floor a 12- pane sash, all replaced in the 1980s. Central doorway has a porch with large rendered Doric columns and altered entablature; pilasters either side of doorway with rectangular fanlight with glazing bars and C19 6-panel door, the top 4 panels glazed. The rear wing projects at angle of about 80; it has a 4 window east front, the first floor window to left of centre is blocked and has a C19 panelled door below with a late C19 glazed porch; the windows are mid to late C19 3- light casements with glazing bars and flat stone arches except for the ground floor window to the right which has a wooden lintel and C20 casement. The back (west) of the rear (north) wing has a truncated projected lateral stack to the left with a stair turret to its right, and a C19 single storey outshut across most of the west side of this wing. Interior: The north (back) room of the rear wing has 2 roughly chamfered ceiling beams without stops and a large lateral fireplace with a very large chamfered slate lintel; triangular recess in the side of the fireplace and a separate shaft at the back of the stack which may have been a flue for a curing chamber at the back, no longer extant. The chamber above has a small semi-circular recessed fireplace with a slate lintel. The mid C19 addition; left hand room has a moulded plaster cornice and a black marble chimneypiece with an iron grate with decorative tiles either side. Smaller right hand room has C20 brick fireplace and moulded plaster cornice. The central entrance hall has a moulded plaster cornice, centrepiece with carved wooden acanthus leaves and an open well staircase with an open string with scrolled tread ends, stick balusters and a moulded mahogany handrail ramped up to turned newels and wreathed over the curtail. Most of the C19 joinery survives including 6-panel doors and some of the internal window shutters. Roof over the rear north wing has C20 bolted softwood trusses.

Listing NGR: SX7242155583

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

101357

Legacy System:

LBS

End of official list entry

All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.