Description

SY 18 NE BRANSCOMBE

7/11 Higher House Farmhouse
-
22.2.55 II
-

Farmhouse. Probably C16 origins, C17 improvements, extensively refurbished in the
late C18-early C19, modernised circa 1980. Exposed local Salcombe stone and flint
rubble; stone rubble stacks, one disused, the other topped with C19 brick; slate
roof, formerly thatch:
Plan and development: originally a 3-room-and-through-passage plan farmhouse facing
south-south-west, say south. At the left (west) end is the unheated inner room.
The hall has an axial stack backing onto the site of the former passage and a newel
stair rises in front of the stack. In the C20 the partition between hall and inner
room was removed and the 2 rooms were united. At the right (east) end the service
end kitchen has a gable-end stack. Here too there is a newel stair alongside the
stack. In the C20 the lower passage partition was removed to enlarge the former
kitchen and the passage rear doorway was blocked.
The layout of the house suggests its C16 origins but there is no definitely C16
feature left. The fireplaces, windows and 1 surviving early beam are early C17.
In the late C18-early C19 the house was thoroughly refurbished and most early
carpentry detail including the roof was replaced at this time. House has been 2
storeys since the early C17. C20 outshots to rear.
Good exterior: regular but not symmetrical 4-window front. All are early C17
Salcombe ashlar windows with hollow-chamfered mullions. Only a couple have missing
mullions. The ground floor windows have hoodmoulds and there is a tiny light to the
hall stair. The passage front doorway is a plain ashlar opening and it now contains
a late C19 6-panel door. Roof is gable-ended.
Interior is mostly the result of the late C18 - early C19 refurbishment as
modernised in the C20. The hall has a plastered rubble fireplace with plain
chamfered oak lintel. It is of indeterminate date. The service end kitchen
fireplace is stone rubble with a chamfered and scroll-stopped oak lintel and it
includes a large oven. the only early beam (across the back of the hall stack) is
also chamfered with scroll stops. The rest of the carpentry detail is late C18 -
early C19 including the A-frame roof trusses with pegged and spiked lap-jointed
collars.

Listing NGR: SY1824289184

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26398113

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

• 
  Hampshire: Winchester and the North (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Period Property Manual (New Ed)
• 
  The green guide for historic buildings: how to improve the environmental performance of listed and historic buildings
• 
  A Buying and Owning a Listed Building: A Brief Guide
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair