Horsey Manor Farm

Reasons for Designation

Horsey Manor Farm is designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons: * The house is a good survival of a largely intact late-C16 high status building that was adapted in the early C19; it is well-constructed and has clear architectural interest * The growth and development of the house and attached farm buildings can be read in the surviving elements * The agricultural buildings are of interest in their own right as part of the evolving farmstead on an historic site and they form a cogent grouping with the house * Group value with the nearby scheduled medieval settlement of Horsey

Details

BRIDGWATER WITHOUT

435/0/10012 HORSEY LANE 12-AUG-09 Horsey Manor Farm

GV II A former farmhouse largely dating from the late C16 with early-C19 alterations, and attached farm buildings including a barn, converted dairy and converted stables. These date from the C17 onwards though some may occupy the sites of earlier buildings. The L-shaped agricultural range to the north west of the house, dating from the C19 and modernised in the C20 is not of special interest.

PLAN: The principal range of the house is of two storeys and has a four-cell plan with a cross passage. It defines the south west side of a courtyard. On the north west side of the yard is a two storey range (now the west wing of the house) and a single storey range which have been converted to domestic use; to the north east is a barn; and on the south east side is a single storey range with an attached lean-to of concrete blocks on its east side that is not of interest, and a one and a half storey former dairy, which now forms the east wing of the house.

HOUSE: The farmhouse dates principally from the late C16; the roof was raised and the building re-fenestrated, probably in the early-C19. It is constructed in coursed blue lias to the lower half and red brick above first floor cill level, and the walls are rendered. It has a double Roman tile roof and there are brick end chimneystacks and an off-centre ridge stack. The fenestration is comprised mostly of C19 sash windows to the front (south west) and casements elsewhere. There is a late-C16 two-light mullioned window though it is now only visible within the house. The two rear wings were originally agricultural buildings that have since been incorporated into the dwelling. The east wing was formerly a dairy with a cheese loft at first floor and is built of blue lias; the mid- to late-C19 west wing is built of brick and was probably a stable block with a hay loft or possibly an apple store above. EXTERIOR: The main (south west) elevation is of two storeys and presents a five window range with a central entrance doorway, flanked by square-headed rectangular window openings. A kneeler set low in the south east gable wall provides evidence of the original height of the roof before it was raised in the C19. Beyond is the former dairy which has a three-light casement window and inserted roof-lights to its south east elevation. The rear elevation has a lean-to addition of stone that may have been a bake house. A veranda, its roof supported on timber posts, runs the rest of the length of the rear elevation and continues along the right return. The west wing is of two storeys. INTERIOR: The wide entrance passage has a timber staircase to the first floor and, in the rear wall, a timber two-light mullioned window which may mark the position of an earlier staircase. The two right hand rooms both have open fireplaces with stone jambs and heavy lintels and a late-C16 compartment ceiling with plain beams with deep concave chamfers. The two rooms are divided by a C21 timber screen. The far left hand room also has an open fireplace that has a curing chamber and an oven. At first floor, the right hand bedroom retains an open fireplace and evidence for a former winder stair at the north east corner of the building. A timber-framed partition divides this room from the next. The roof of the front range is carried on king post trusses and is consistent with an early-C19 date.

AGRICULTURAL BUILDINGS: The courtyard to the rear is dominated by the barn located opposite the house. It is built of brick on a stone plinth and has a pantile roof. It is rectangular on plan but a map of 1836 depicts a projection in the centre of the south west side which may have been a porch. The interior has a pegged timber partition that appears to have been re-used, and a roof consisting of simple collared trusses with a single rows of purlins. To the south east is a section of substantial walling that runs between the barn and the house. It is of cut and coursed stone and may be the remains of a boundary wall or an earlier building on the site; it now forms the rear (east) wall of an outbuilding. Built against the south east side of the wall is a lean-to addition of concrete blocks which is not of special interest. The single storey range that defines much of the north west side of the courtyard is attached to the east wing and was formerly stables. It is built of brick and has a timber louvered ridge ventilator to the roof. This range has been converted to residential use and has not been inspected internally.

HISTORY: There has been a house at Horsey Manor Farm since at least the C13. It is possibly the site of the manor house or home farm that was associated with the medieval settlement of Horsey which is known to date from at least the time of the Domesday Book of 1086. Horsey Manor Farmhouse is principally a late-C16 building with later rear wings. It underwent some remodelling in the early C19 when the roof was raised and the building re-fenestrated. At this time it would appear that the status of the house was downgraded to a yeoman's house, probably for tenant farmers. The attached farm buildings which form a courtyard on the north east side of the house appear to date largely from the C17 onwards though it is likely that some occupy the positions of earlier buildings.

REASONS FOR DESIGNATION: Horsey Manor Farm is designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons: * The house is a good survival of a largely intact late-C16 high status building that was adapted in the early C19; it is well-constructed and has clear architectural interest * The growth and development of the house and attached farm buildings can be read in the surviving elements * The agricultural buildings are of interest in their own right as part of the evolving farmstead on an historic site and they form a cogent grouping with the house * Group value with the nearby scheduled medieval settlement of Horsey

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

507077

Legacy System:

LBS

End of official list entry

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