Description

SX 69 SE SOUTH TAWTON SOUTH TAWTON

4/227 Nos 1 and 2 Town Barton

GV II

2 cottages in what was originally a single farmhouse. Late C16 or earlier with
major C17 improvements, modernised in late C19 when divided into cottages.
Plastered cob on stone rubble footings; granite stacks topped with C20 brick; slate
roof, formerly thatch.
Plan and devlopment: L-shaped building containing 2 cottages. The main block faces
east onto the village green and is built across the hillslope. It has a 4-room-and-
through-passage plan. Former inner room at the right end with projecting gable-end
stack. Hall has a large axial stack backing onto the passage. Axial stack between
the 2 service end rooms. Short rear block projecting at right angles to rear of
inner room and overlapping the hall. It has a gable-end stack. Now there are 2
cottages here. No.1 occupies the former inner room and rear block and a through-
passage has been inserted in the inner room. No 2 occupies the hall passage and
service end rooms. The rear passage doorway is now blocked. The roof structure is
not the original and therefore most evidence of its early devlopment is missing.
Nevertheless it seems likely that it was originally some form of open hall house.
The hall stack and lower passage screen are both C16. Hall was floored in the mid
C17 and at the same time the walls raised with a new roof. The second service end
room was also added at the same time. The dates of both the inner room and service
end fireplaces are not clear. The rear block is C17. Both cottages are 2 storeys.
Exterior: overall irregular 4-window front of C20 casements, most with glazing bars
but the latest without. The doorway to No. 1 is towards the right and the doorway
to No 2 (the passage front doorway) is left of centre. Both contain C20 doors and
have low flights of stone steps from the falling ground level. Roof is gable-ended.
Interior: the only C16 features apparent are the lower passage screen and hall
fireplace (both in No 2). The former is an oak plank-and-muntin screen, the latter
a large granite ashlar fireplace with a hollow-chamfered surround and the right side
hooded; it also contains a C19 cloam oven and there is probably C19 cream oven close
by in the front wall. The mid C17 crossbeams are unusually narrow; they are soffit-
chamfered with bar run-out stops. The fireplace in the service end (still No 2) is
blocked and the outer service end room has a large plain-chamfered axial beam. The
inner room (No 1) shows only the result of its late C19 refurbishment. No carpentry
shows and the fireplace is blocked. The rear block has a chamfered crossbeam with
one step stop. The lintel of the granite ashlar fireplace here is hidden. The roof
of the main block is carried on a series of A-frame trusses with pegged lap-jointed
collars and dovetail-shaped halvings.
Nos 1 and 2 Town Barton form part of a group of attractive listed buildings which
contribute to the picturesque village centre.

Listing NGR: SX6528394432

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26399921

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

• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects, Supplement 2014
• 
  Drawing up a Local Listed Building Consent Order: Historic England Advice Note 6
• 
  Staffordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  London 1: The City of London: City of London v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Harrow on the Hill: A photographic portrayal of listed buildings and structures (Historic Buildings Picture Guides)
• 
  Development and Design of Heritage Sensitive Sites: Strategies for Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas