Description

HARTLAND
SS 22 NW

1/116 Berry Farmhouse
2.6.77
- II

Farmhouse. Early to mid C18 remodelling of probably an earlier house. Rendered
stone rubble walls exposed to rear wing. Hipped bitumized slate roof. Rendered
slightly projecting stack with brick shaft at each end of front range. Rendered
brick axial stack to rear parallel range. 2 axial stacks to rear range of squared
rubble with dripcourses - probably C17.
Plan: basically L-shaped plan with front range of 2 large rooms flanking a
stairhall, short parallel range behind left-hand end and longer wing behind right-
hand end of 2 room plan with columbarium (dovecote) at the end of it. This wing
appears to pre-date the front range which is of a more formal and imposing C18
style. The parallel range behind the left-hand room is a large kitchen likely to
have been added in the C19.
Exterior: 2 storeys. Symmetrical 5-window front of early C19 12-pane sashes on the
1st floor, taller ones below to the right. To the left on the ground floor is a
blocked window opening with an inserted late C20 casement to its left. Central C20
lean-to porch with part-glazed door in right-hand side. The rear wing is slightly
set back from the right-hand end and has asymmetrical 4-window outer face. To the
left on each floor is a late C19 or early C20 casement of 2 and 3 lights and a 2-
light casement to the right on the ground floor. Otherwise probably C18 12-pane
hornless sashes set flush to the outside wall. Wooden lintels apart from brick arch
over the ground floor left-hand window. Small lean-to in angle with front block and
hipped roof porch to left of centre with early C20 plank door in left-hand side.
Rear parallel range projects from left end of front block. At the end of the rear
wing, returning slightly to the left-hand side with brick columbarium on the lst
floor and pigeon-holes on the rear and side walls. Between the rear wing and
parallel range is a small hipped roof over the staircase.
Interior: the front range has fairly complete original joinery. The left-hand room
is panelled with sunken panels and with eared architraves to the window openings and
a tall round-headed arch at the rear with pediment over. The doorway also has an
eared architrave with dentilled cornice. The right-hand room has chair rail and
probably obscured panelled dado with large dentilled cornice above. C18
chimneypiece with projecting central plaque and egg and dart cornice. Original open
string staircase with carved tread ends and turned and moulded balusters. The rear
room in the wing has complete early C18 fielded panelling, chair rail, shutters and
chimneypiece with moulded cornice.
Berry was occupied during the C18 by the Wolferstan family who are recorded as being
gentry in a memorial to Nicolas Wolferston 1695 - 1763 in Hartland Church. An
illustration of Hartland Abbey in 1767 shows Berry in the distance apparently of
similar appearance to the present day.
This is an unusual, and unaltered, survival in North Devon of an C18 house of
considerable quality.
Source: The Book of Hartland: R. Pearse Chope.

Listing NGR: SS2344625306

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26603442

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

• 
  Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius (Penguin Art & Architecture)
• 
  Pevsner's Architectural Glossary (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Drawing up a Local Listed Building Consent Order: Historic England Advice Note 6
• 
  Renovating Old Houses: Bringing New Life to Vintage Homes (For Pros By Pros)
• 
  Worcestershire Revised Edition (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability