Gorvin Farmhouse

Details

HARTLAND SS 21 NE

8/133 Gorvin Farmhouse - - II

Farmhouse. Visible evidence dates the house to early - mid C17 but it is likely to have late medieval origins; C19 addition. Plastered stone rubble walls, possibly incorporating some cob. Gable-ended roof of grouted very small slates. Rendered brick stack to left gable-end and lateral stack at front, rendered rubble stack with slate dripcourse to right gable. Plan: 3-room-and-through-passage plan with lower end to the right heated by gable- end stack. Hall has a fireplace on its front wall, this may however be an insertion into an open hall previously heated by a central hearth as this range of the house is very low and the visible form of the roof trusses over it suggests a medieval date. The very different finish of the hall ceiling beams and its fireplace lintel suggest that they may in fact not have been inserted at the same time. The hall most likely adopted its present form by the mid C17 incorporating a projecting window bay next to the stack. A remodelling of the higher end to form parlour in front and staircase wing at rear also took place in the Cl7 but is more likely to have occured in the 2nd half of the century. By repute there was a plaster crest and date on the 1st floor room at this end which suggests a high quality chamber. The lower room stack is likely to be a fairly late insertion possibly coinciding with the addition of an outshut at the rear in the C19 which superceded the lower room as a dairy. Exterior: 2 storeys. Asymmetrical 4-window front, the main range very low with dormer windows under nipped roofs on 1st floor. Taller section at left-hand end has later C19 12-pane horned sash on 1st floor and 9-pane sash below with C20 glazed door to the right. Main range has early C20 2-light small-paned casements on the 1st floor. The left-hand part of the front wall projects adjoining the lateral stack with an early C19 20-pane sash on the ground floor. Later C19 6-pane sash to the right. To right of centre is C19 lean-to porch which has a stone rubble arch and C20 part-glazed door behind. Rear elevation has outshot along principal range with gabled wing to right which has a C17 2-light chamfered granite mullion stair window. Interior: C19 fireplace to lower room. Passage has chamfered and step-stopped joists at a different level to the hall ceiling. Hall has high quality C17 ceiling of 2 cross beams and joists all scroll-moulded and unstopped. Hall fireplace has plain cambered wooden lintel. The inner room has chamfered half beam and cross-beam unstopped. The staircase is of the transitional form, rising around a solid core containing a cupboard rather than an open wall - without balusters or handrail it is undateable but may well be C17. Roof: there is no access to the roof space so any surviving evidence of smoke- blackening cannot be seen. However the timbers appear to be of medieval form consisting of substantial straight principals chamfered on their soffits and butt purlins which are also chamfered. The collars are hardly visible but likely to be cambered and halved onto the principals. This house is an interesting example of C17 development of plan from what was almost certainly a single storey medieval building. Source: unpublished report by Dr. N. Alcock (differs slightly in interpretation).

Listing NGR: SS2903119743

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

91200

Legacy System:

LBS

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