Description

ST 11 SW
1/22

DUNKESWELL
ABBEY
Abbey Meadow Farmhouse

GV
II

Farmhouse. Late C16 - early C17, later C17 or C18 extension, some C19
modernisation. Local stone and flint rubble with some large Beerstone ashlar
quoins; stone rubble stacks topped with C19 and C20 brick; thatch roof to the main
house, slate and corrugated iron to the lean-to outshots.
Plan: 3-room plan farmhouse facing west-south-west, say west. At the left (north)
end there is a parlour with a gable-end stack and this part is wider than the rest
of the house. Between this parlour and the kitchen is a cross passage (maybe a
former through-passage.) The kitchen has an axial stack backing onto the small
unheated right (south) end room which was probably a dairy or pantry.
Since no proper internal inspection was available at the time of this survey it is
not possible to determine the historic development of the house. Also it is clear
that much of the carpentry detail is hidden by C19 and C20 brick; thatch roof to the
main house, slate and corrugated iron to the lean-to outshots.
Plan: 3-room plan farmhouse facing west-south-west, say west. At the left (north)
end there is a parlour with a gable-end stack and this part is wider than the rest
of the house. Between this parlour and the kitchen is a cross passage (maybe a
former through passage). The kitchen has an axial stack backing onto the small
unheated right (south) end room which was probably a dairy or pantry.
Since no proper internal inspection was available at the time of this survey it is
not possible to determine the historic development of the house. Also it is clear
that much of the carpentry detail is hidden by C19 and C20 plaster. House is 2
storeys with secondary outshots to rear and on the left (north) end.
Exterior: irregular front fenestration with 3 ground floor windows and one first
floor window. These are C19 and C20 casements with glazing bars except the ground
floor left one (to the dairy/pantry) which is not glazed. The oven housing projects
immediately left of this window. The passage front doorway is left of centre and it
contains a probably C19 studded plank door. The parlour section is a little taller
than the rest and therefore the roof steps down from parlour to passage. It is
hipped each end. The right (south) end is propped by a pair of large raking
buttresses. At the back there are similar casements to those on the front except
that one contains rectangular panes of leaded glass.
Interior was not available for a full internal inspection at the time of this
survey. Nevertheless it is clear that most is the result of apparently superficial
C19 and C20 modernisations. Thus most of the carpentry detail on the ground floor
is plastered over and both fireplaces are blocked by C19 and C20 grates. The only
beam exposed is the axial beam in the parlour which is chamfered with step stops and
late C16 - early Cl7 in date. The roof was not available for inspection at the time
of this survey. A full internal survey should be undertaken before any major
modernisation or alterations lest C16 or Cl7 features be disturbed.

Listing NGR: ST1425410669

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26390446

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

• 
  Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2
• 
  Staffordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Sussex: West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Cumbria: Cumberland, Westmorland and Furness (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Period Property Manual (New Ed)