Description

SS 30 SW CLAWTON

1/9 North Down Farmhouse
-

GV II

Farmhouse. Late medieval core remodelled in the circa late C17, C18 alterations.
Whitewashed rendered cob on stone rubble footings, corrugated iron roof over thatch
hipped at the left end, gabled at the right end over an adjoining barn and gabled at
the end of the rear wing, axial stone stack.
A late medieval open hall house with a 2-bay hall and probably a 2-storey inner room
was remodelled in the C17 when the hall was ceiled over and a hall stack inserted
backing on to the through passage. The passage is now at the left-hand end of the
main range, the C17 lower end no longer exists and may have been dismantled in the
C18 when an unheated rear left service wing was added forming an L-plan. The inner
room, heated from an axial stack is now part of the barn adjoining at the right and
the stack has been partly dismantled. A third stack, cob and truncated exists on the
right gable end wall of the barn and may indicate a third heated room added at the
inner end of the main range, or may represent the remains of a probably C18 single-
cell cottage adjoining the main range. A stack was inserted in the rear wing,
probably in the late C19/early C20 when it was converted to a kitchen.
2 storeys. Asymmetrical 2-window front with regular fenestration and a wide 6-panel
front door to the passage on the front at the left. To the right of the door a circa
late C19 3-light hall window, 6 panes per light, C20 window ground floor right. 2
first floor late C19/early C20 2-light casements with glazing bars. The barn
adjoining at the right end has been partly rebuilt in concrete block.
Interior 1 smoke-blackened collar rafter roof truss over the hall with a slightly
cambered collar halved and pegged into the principal rafters which are mortised at
the apex with a diagonally-set ridge. The battens and ridge are smoke-blackened but
the medieval thatch has been replaced. A similar closed truss between the hall and
inner room is not sooted on the inner side. The roofspace over the rear wing is not
fully accessible but the trusses appear to be C18. Open fireplace with stone rubble
jambs and a timber lintel to the hall which has a roughly chamfered cross beam and a
cream oven. A newel stair rises in the rear right angle of the hall with a keeping
place on the wall. The first floor room left has a late C17 fireplace with stone
rubble jambs and a chamfered lintel with bar scroll stops. The rear of the cross
passage has been converted to a bedroom.
The interior of the house is very unspoiled with old wall plaster.
The surviving medieval roof timbers are rare in this part of West Devon.

Listing NGR: SS3460400209

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26398652

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

• 
  Lancashire: Manchester and the South-East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Building Small Projects (New Best of Fine Woodworking)
• 
  Development and Design of Heritage Sensitive Sites: Strategies for Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects by Harwood, Richard (2012) Paperback
• 
  Pevsner's Architectural Glossary (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)