Description

YARNSCOMBE
SS 52 SE
4/256 Buck's Mill Farmhouse
-
GV II

Farmhouse. Circa mid/late C17 origins, possibly a rebuilding of an earlier house,
minor alterations of the C18, C19 and C20. Colourwashed, rendered cob on stone
footings; slate roof (formerly thatched), gabled at ends; projecting left end stack
with a stone rubble shaft, axial stack with an ashlar stone shaft and dripledges.
Plan: Sited in the bottom of a valley, the rear elevation directly on to the road.
Single depth main range, facing south, 2 rooms wide with a baffle entrance against
the chimney-breast of the axial stack. The present arrangement is a parlour to the
right (east) and a kitchen to the left, with left and right outshuts. The kitchen
stack, which has a bread oven projecting into the outshut, may be a later, perhaps
C18 addition. A winder stair rises to the rear of the axial stack; a probably C18
stair rises against the north wall of the kitchen. A short section of plank and
muntin screen between the baffle entry and the kitchen suggests the possibility that
the house is late medieval in origin with the axial stack inserted into a former
cross or through passage, but this remains unproven. Both the outshuts are later
additions, the left hand outshut, now a workshop, was a dairy, and has access from
the kitchen, the right end outshut is used for storage with external access.
Exterior: 2 storeys. Asymmetrical south front, 2 windows to the first floor, 4 to
the ground floor. Approximately central C20 timber front door, half-glazed with
glazed panels to left and right. 4 ground floor sashes with margin panes, mostly C19
but one a C20 copy. 2 first floor 2-light C19 or early C20 timber sashes with
glazing bars. Bee bole on the front between the 2 left hand windows. The left
return has a small opening with a tile sill in the left gable end, possibly an owl
hole. The rear elevation has 4 first floor and 3 ground floor windows, mostly C20
timber casements with glazing bars, except the 2-light casement lighting the kitchen
which is probably C18 or C19 with glazing bars and iron stanchions. The right end
(east) outshut has a tiled roof.
Interior: Both ground floor rooms have chamfered crossbeams with step stops. The
parlour has a C20 chimney-piece, probably concealing earlier features. The left hand
room (kitchen) has a small fireplace with a chamfered lintel and a section of plank
and muntin screen as the partition to the internal porch. Winder stair with oak
treads and risers, the steps up to the room above the kitchen from the winder may be
secondary. One C18 2-panel door on the first floor, good survival of old plaster.
Roof: Apex not inspected at time of survey (1988) but although the trusses are said
to be crucks the principal rafters visible, which are plastered-over, appear to be
straight.
A very unspoiled traditional house. Group value with the old mill building to the
south-east.

Listing NGR: SS5652524789

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26398952

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Development and Design of Heritage Sensitive Sites: Strategies for Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas
• 
  Kent: North East and East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Georgian Style and Design for Contemporary Living
• 
  Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability
• 
  Somerset: North and Bristol: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  London 6: Westminster (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England): Westminster v. 6