Description

SWIMBRIDGE SS 63 SW 8/163 Dean Head, including apple store and coal shed to rear

II*

Farmhouse, now house, probably early C16, remodelled early C17 and with C19 alterations. Whitewashed stone rubble and cob, some slate hanging at left gable end. Pair of diagonally set brick shafts to stone stack at left gable end and tall rendered lateral stack to rear with tapered cap. Through-passage, formerly open hall plan, with a dairy with slated lean-to roof beyond the hall. In the early C17, floors were inserted and a wide gable-ended stair turret projection added to rear of through passage. Possibly at some time a long right-angled extension was added at rear of upper end of hall, presumably a kitchen wing with large ridge stack with brick shaft and beyond it cider apple store with rear access to first floor loft. In the C19 a lower row of coal sheds was added in line with the stair turret to form a rear 3-sided courtyard plan with a length of cob wall with pantiled caping enclosing the courtyard on the fourth side. 2 storeys. 3 window range of C19 casements, 3-, 4- and 2-lights, from left to right, 6 panes per light with original glass. Two 3-light casement to ground floor, 6 panes per light flanking wide through-passage doorway with plank door and slated gabled roof to timber porch with a small 2-light ovolo timber mullion window to its right with square-leaded cames. Plank door to dairy at right end. 2-light window with stone hoodmould to outer face of rear right-angled projection to right side with a small chamfered mullion window to its right. Slated lean-to roof to outshut along courtyard side. Stair turret has 2 pigeon holes to right of 2-light casement 6 panes per light and 3-light casement with old L-hinges to left, 6 panes per light over a timber ovolo mullion window of 4 lights with square-leaded cames, the light second from left has old iron casement. Interior: many features of the early C17 remodelling survive. These include a fine plank-and-muntin screen to parlour to lower side of through passage. The muntins have thin lateral ovolo-mouldings, 6 planks to right and 5 to left of parlour doorway, square-headed with chamfered and scroll-stopped surround. Original 3 plank door framed and ledged with old lock. Ovolo-moulded beam above the headrail. Rear through-passage doorway has chamfered and scroll-stopped surround. Parlour contains nice C17 ornamental plasterwork. The ceiling divided into 3 sections by 2 beams with plasterwork mouldings and each with 2 floriated devices flanking winged horse on the soffits. Section nearest to stack no longer survives, but the other 2 sections have interlaced geometric ribwork between 4 different paterae in line. Above the screen are 6 plaster panels depicting identical demi-figure with outstreched hands holding swags at base of torso. Above the chamfered and scroll stopped lintel to chimneypiece with stone jambs is a plasterwork overmantel in triptych form, the wide central panel with large central lozenge with intertwined foliage. Pairs of figures above and below flank the diamond identical to the demi- figures above the screen. Each side panel has human head in high relief with strapwork designs above and below. Hall to right of through-passage probably originally had plaster ceiling but this has not survived. Stop-chamfered fireplace lintel. Stair turret to rear has chamfered and scroll-stopped doorway surrounds at foot and head of staircase both with old ledged plank doors with moulded cover strips. 3 further chamfered door surrounds to upper floor rooms, with scroll stops, that to bedroom at upper end is partly cased in. 2-panelled door to central bedroom. Main bedroom above parlour has fine ornamental plasterwork overmantel, probably by the Abbotts of Frithelstock/Langree. Central panel depicting "the seasons" in strapwork cartouche with 2 mythical beasts heads to the top corners and human heads to the lower corners. Floriated emblems to each side and rosette to bottom centre (T.D.A. Vol. 89, p.138-139 and Plate 19). Single raised jointed cruck truss survives over hall, with collar morticed into soffits of the blades, smoke blackened in roof space. C17 roof structure superimposed above original roof with 3 original trusses with straight principals, 2 tiers of threaded purlins and diagonally threaded ridge purlin, the other 2 trusses are later replacements with trenched purlins, some of the purlins being reused and smoke blackened. The stair turret has a single truss and single tier of threaded purlins. Rear extension has 3 rough trusses with purlins partly trenched, partly resting on backs of the principals.

Listing NGR: SS6245833668

External Links

• Wikidata Q17532129

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Recommended Books

• 
  Kent: West and the Weald: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Worcestershire Revised Edition (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy
• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of Historic Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
• 
  Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability
• 
  [(Bedfordshire, Huntingdon and Peterborough)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1968)