Down Farmhouse and Adjoining Outbuilding

Details

SS 92 SW STOODLEIGH

5/158 Down Farmhouse and adjoining - outbuilding

II

Farmhouse. Circa early C16 origins, remodelled and probably extended in the circa early C17. Colourwashed plastered stone and cob; thatched roof, gabled at ends, half-hipped at end of wing; right end stack and axial stack to main block,, the right end staack with a projecting bread oven, projecting lateral stack with set-offs to wing. Adjoining outbuilding with a slate roof. Plan: overall U plan, the single depth 3 room plan main block facing south with 2 front wings; the left hand wing domestic, the right hand wing consisting of a first floor room projecting over a cart entrance and adjoining an outbuilding formerly in use as a cider house. The main block was originally a late medieval open hall house, the medieval timbers surviving over the right hand room and originally extending further to the left, probably to the end of the block. The circa early C17 remodelling of the house is unusual in that there is no evidence of a cross or through passage. The 2 right hand rooms are heated and of approximately equal size, the extreme right hand room a kitchen with a narrow dog leg stair adjacent to the stack, possibly replacing a newel; direct entrance into kitchen. The left hand end of the block is divided between a small service room and a probably C18 stair. The front left wing is circa late C16/early C17 with a separate entrance to the right into an axial passage which gives access both to the left hand heated room and to the main block with a service room to the rear of the passage. Although the wing appears to be later than the main block it is possible that it is a co-eval 2 storey block with a chamber over a parlour. Exterior: 2 storeys. Asymmetrical 2 window front with regular fenestration. Probably C18 plank front door to right under a corrugated iron lean-to; C19 3-light timber casements with glazing bars, brick sills and brick voussoirs to the ground floor. The return of the left wing is blind except for a front door to the right with a slated canopy and a 2-light first floor C19 timber casement above. The return oil the right wing has a cart entrance to the left; the adjoining outbuilding has 3 ground floor doorways and 2 first floor winodws. Interior: Virtually unaltered since the C19. The right end fireplace is partly blocked but preserves an early lintel and probably C19 hearth seats and a C19 bread oven. The centre room has 2 plastered-over crossbeams and a C20 fireplace probably concealing earlier jambs and lintel. The service room has a chamfered step-stopped crossbeam and cobbled floor; the heated room in the wing has a partly blocked fireplace, probably concealing earlier features. Roof: One smoke-blackened medieval truss over the kitchen complete with sooted battens, rafters and thatch, diagonally-set ridge, collar replaced but formerly lap- dovetailed onto principals. The sooted roof structure clearly extended beyond the wattle and daub partition which now divides it from circa late C18 X apex trusses over the rest of the main block: these are pegged at the apex with nailed trusses over the wing with mortised collars. A remarkably unaltered traditional house with a long building history.

Listing NGR: SS9270420341

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

96804

Legacy System:

LBS

End of official list entry

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