Description

SHEPRETH HIGH STREET
TL 3947
(West side)
21/331
No. 10 (Home
Farmhouse)
II

Small house. Early C16 with C17 alteration and further remodelling and alteration in C18, C19 and late C20.

MATERIAL: Timber-framed construction, now rendered and painted. Long straw thatch roof covering with ridge and north gable chimney stacks.

PLAN: 3 bay open hall house with cross passage, later remodelled to form hall chamber with fixed stair access from the ceiled hall.

EXTERIOR: East elevation. Single storey and attic. 3 bays with gabled thatched enclosed porch added to south bay, enclosing doorway opening onto original cross passage, now altered. To the north of the porch, 2 large C20 multi-pane 2-light casement windows, to the south, a small 6-pane window to former service end, now bathroom. To the attic storey, a single dormer window with C20 frame. Shouldered external stack to north end, with single multi-pane window to the right of the stack within the gable apex. Rear elevation with 2, C20 2-light casement windows, and in a slightly advanced south bay a C20 door and integral 2-light small-paned window.

INTERIOR: Spatial divisions of the original plan are still visible within the remodelled interior, the principal hearth set against the original through passage, now remodelled to accommodate a kitchen and bathroom within the former service bay at the south end. The through passage is defined by 2 tie beams. Exposed wall framing, ceiling joists and spine beams visible at ground floor level, together with brick-lined hearth incorporating side ovens beneath former full-width hearth beam with evidence of mortice for a supporting post at its east end, now carried on a brick pier. The partition between the former open hall and the parlour at the north end has been removed, and replaced by C20 bookshelves and imported and re-used post and brace timbers. To the left of the hearth and hall doorway, a winder stair gives access to bedrooms within the attic. Severely deflected purlins and rafters are visible within the upper floor, which also incorporates the upper part of the former smoke hood, now supported by the ground floor brick hearth.

HISTORY: The early C16 form of the house is believed to have been an open hall with flanking storeyed service and parlour bays.The hall was then floored in the C17. At this time, the original hearth hood is thought to have been replaced in brick, together with the re-building of the north end wall.

REASONS FOR DESIGNATION DECISION

Home Farmhouse, Shepreth is listed for the following principal reasons:

* It as a well-preserved example of a small C16 timber-framed open hall house,

* There is interest in the C17 flooring over of the hall and insertion of a stack.

* The original plan form characteristics have survived the subsequent internal modifications of the C17, C19 and C20.

Listing NGR: TL3923847827

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26459440

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.

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