Old House at Lovaton Farmhouse

Details

The following building shall be added to the list:

SP 10 88 SOUTH TAWTON

4/1088 Old House at Lovaton Farmhouse

II

House, now used as farm building. Circa late C15 remodelled in C16. and C17. Cob on stone rubble plinth and with stone rubble patching. Corrugated iron roof with gabled ends. Stacks truncated. Plan: 4-room-and-through-passage plan. The lower end to the left of passage is divided into two rooms, the kitchen with an axial stack backing onto the passage, the smaller lower end room is unheated. The hall to the right of the passage is also heated from an axial stack at its lower end but it is uncertain whether the large inner room was heated. Development: The house was originally of 2-room-and-through-passage plan, both the hall and the lower end were open to the roof but separated by a cob partition wall on the lower side of the passage. While the hall remained open to the roof the lower end was floored and an axial stack built against the partition wall probably in early C16. Also in C16 an axial stack was built at the lower end of the hall but the floor inserted in C17. The large inner room is probably also a C17 addition. The division of the lower end to form a small unheated end room was either a C17 or early C18 improvement or more likely part of the first phase of remodelling in C16 to provide an inner room to the lower end parlour with a solar above and a hall still open to the roof. Exterior: 2 storeys. Asymmetrical front. The higher end front wall to right has largely collapsed. Various late C19 or C20 casements. Passage front doorway to left of centre with C17 ovolo-and-fillet moulded frame with mason's mitres, the stops worn and with later plank door. At the rear the high end wall to left has collapsed, the lower end to right is blind and the passage rear doorway at centre has chamfered frame and old plank door and circa C18 2-light casement above with leaded panes. In lower gable end on first floor remains of wooden frame of medieval 3-light window with pointed head lights, the mullions missing. Interior: The hall fireplace has chamfered monolithic granite jambs and later (C17) timber lintel with scratch moulding. Above fire- place lintel the stub of chamfered axial beam with run-out stops and partition to right of fireplace on chamfered timber beam with step stop; set back below is remains of plank and muntin screen with chamfered muntins and doorway, scratch-moulded head beam and old plank door. Passage has large unchamfered joists. Kitchen fireplace has roll-moulded monolithic granite jambs, matching moulded timber lintel and C19 oven. The axial ceiling beam is plastered over and in back wall a C18 cupboard with fielded panel doors. The small lower end room has roughly hewn axial beam and straight-flight staircase. In chamber over lower end a small fireplace with curved back and unchamfered timber lintel. The cob wall between passage and lower end is smoke-blackened on both sides and has a small wooden doorframe with pointed (almost round) head, chamfered on higher side and rebated for door on lower side. Of the original medieval roof structure 2 trusses survive, one over lower end, the other over lower end of the hall has arch braces. There is no truss between, the purlins are supported on the cob wall on the lower side of the passage. The trusses are side-pegged jointed crucks with triangular blocks at the apex, diagonal threaded ridgepiece and threaded purlins, all smoke-blackened. The roof is wind-braced over the hall, but not over the lower end. There is a lighter scantling wind- brace over the passage, nailed to the purlins. The collar of the lower end truss is missing. Some of the purlins survive over the lower end and over the hall but the higher end truss or trusses and most of the common rafters are missing.

Listing NGR: SX6797293455

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

95099

Legacy System:

LBS

End of official list entry

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