Description

WERRINGTON
SX 38 NW
9/260 Cullacott and attached open-fronted
cartshed (previously listed as Old
23.8.57 Cullacott, Werrington,
Broadwoodwidger, Rural District,
Devon)

GV I

Unoccupied farmhouse. Early C16 with mid and late C16 and early C17 improvements and
addition. Slate stone rubble (shillet) walls with some cob (especially to rear) and
a small area of wall rebuilt in concrete blocks. Some granite quoins and slate
hanging to one section of wall. Dressed granite detail to some doorways and windows.
Large slate stone rubble axial stack to left of centre (lower end) with drip course
and weatherings. Axial stack to right in angle of wing constructed of ashlar with
finely moulded granite cap and drip-course (at present partially obscured by ivy).
Slate roof with gable ends.
Complex structural history. Originally probably 3 room and through passage plan open
to roof throughout and divided by low partitions. In mid C16 lower end ceiled and
room over passage jettied into hall and fireplace in a front lateral stack added to
hall. In the late C16 the inner room and chamber above were rebuilt or enlarged and
a 2-storey wing added to its front, probably contemporary with carved date on lintel
of inner room window, 1575. In early C17 lower end stack and fireplace probably
inserted and additional room built on beyond as dairy. Contemporary 2 storey porch
added at rear perhaps when house was turned back to front. Possibly in late C17 or
early C18 an additional porch was formed at the front of the lower end by a first
floor room open underneath. In the C18 the house must have decreased in importance
because no significant alterations of that date are visible until, in mid C19, a new
farmhouse was built a short distance away and the old house was then inhabited only
by farmworkers. The upper end was used for storage and animal housing and the last
farmworker moved out of the lower end in mid C20,since,then house has been unoccupied.
Exterior:Mainly 2 storey except for the hall which is still open to the roof never
having been ceiled. Asymmetrical front with central circa late C16 single storeyed
gabled porch which has C19 carved barge-boards with pendant finial and 4-centred
granite arched doorway with roll and hollow chamfer and leaf motif in spandrels.
Traditional C19 half door to porch which has wooden seats either side. Heavy plank
front door to passage possibly re-facing of C17 door. Finely ovolo-moulded square
headed door-frame with elaborate stops of inscribed fleur-de-lys type flower and
carved vase beneath. To left of porch is 3 light C19 casement on ground floor with
similar 2-light window above and to the left, both have glazing bars. To their left
is a small projecting gabled wing/porch supported by a wall under its right hand side
with a single post below its front left hand corner; it is slate hung on its gable
end with a 2-light C19 casement to its right hand side with H-L hinges and glazing
bars. Underneath this room a C19 plank door leads into the ground floor lower end
room. To the right of the central single storey porch is a small 2-light Cl.9 window
on the first floor and a single granite framed light below with chamfer. To the
right uf this is the projection for the lateral hall stack which has offsets and is
cut off at the eaves. To the right of the stack in the same line is the framing of a
granite mullion window now a doorway. 4-light with mullions and cill now removed,
double hollow chamfer with king mullion and hoodmould above. To the right of this
the roof level rises abruptly for the stair of the 2 storey section at the higher
end. On the ground floor is an adjacent former mullion window now also a doorway
with its mullions and cill removed. It is identical to the previous mullion window
except that its lintel is carved with the inscription "ANNO DOM 1579" (date slightly
unclear but first 2 numbers are certain)" BY WATER BLYGETE". Immediately above this
window is an inserted loading door. A small 2 storey one cell wing then projects
from the right. In the angle between it and the main block on the first floor is a
very small slit opening for the garderobe. On the ground floor the wing has a narrow
4-centred granite arched doorway to the right with chamfer and plain stops. To its
left is a single light granite framed window with 2 iron stanchion bars and chamfer;
to its left is a 2-light granite mullion window with chamfer and hood mould above.
Neither window has contained glass. Above the single light window and doorway is a
slate drip-course. On the first floor left of centre is a granite framed window with
the central mullion removed and C20 fixed light inserted. A single storey former
cart shed is attached at the end of this wing. At the left hand, lower, gable end of
the house is a 2-light wooden mullioned window with ovolo moulding and continuous
slate drip-course and other drip-course higher up the gable. At the rear of the
house is a large central storeyed porch with gabled slate roof. This has a square-
headed doorway with ovolo-moulded wooden frame and plank door, slate drip-course
above. To its left is a small single light granite framed window with no glass.
Above the doorway is a 2-light granite mullion window with chamfer and hood mould
plus a slate drip-course above. On the right hand side of the porch at the first
floor is a single light granite framed window without glass. On the left hand side
of the porch at ground level is a low opening leading into a small compartment lit by
the single light on the front wall, possibly this was a dog kennel. Immediately to
the right of the porch is a probably C18 lean-to outbuilding built mainly of cob in
poor condition. To its right on the first floor is a 3-light C19 casement window
with glazing bars. To the left of the porch a small early C20 lean-to outside
lavatory is built against the rear wall of the hall. Immediately to its left is a
rectangular projection housing the stairs rising at the back of the inner room. This
has been partly re-built in concrete blocks but retains a small single light partly
granite framed window opening. At the higher gable end is a ground floor window
opening for the inner room, possibly original although all framing has been renewed.
Interior: is remarkably unaltered and retains a very high percentage of original and
early features which illustrate the high status of the house in the C16 and early
C17. The room to the lower side of the through-passage is entered through a wooden
ovolo-moulded doorframe with worn stops and C17 plank door on which each plank has
beaded edges, with spear-ended strap hinges. There is a large open fireplace with
chamfered wooden lintel which has hollow step stops. Built-in wooden seat below
window and an adjoining wall to passage with small section of wooden partition
screening seat from the doorway. The rough beams in the inner room were almost
certainly designed to take a plaster ceiling. From the traces of a decorative frieze
in the plasterwork of the walls it is likely that the ceiling was moulded. Enclosed
wooden framed staircase. Slate slab floor. The passage also has a slate slab floor.
on the far side of the door into the lower room is an adjoining wooden ovolo-moulded
doorframe and identical door leading to a framed staircase which divides near the top
one side leading to the chamber above the lower room and on the other leading to the
chamber above the passage and the chamber above the rear porch; although the access
to these is now blocked. Either side of the passage is a solid wall; The wall
dividing hall from the passage shows no sign of a doorway and from the evidence of a
beam above is likely to be a replacement of a plank and muntin screen. The cob wall
at the upper end of the hall is original and has a blocked doorway at its rear end.
On the hall side the plaster shows traces of painted murals although these are so
fragmentary as to be unrecognisable as any particular pattern. The hall has never
been ceiled. Its roof consists of 2 bays of principal rafters with curved feet, well
cut but unchamfered, morticed at the apex with ridge resting in a v-notch. Cranked
collar morticed into the trusses. 2 tiers of trenched purlins which are chamfered
and stopped. The whole is moderately smoke-blackened particularly towards the
passage end. The second truss which is over the partition to the passage, also
moderately smoke-blackened. Beside the trusses a first floor stud and panel
partition has been inserted which extends up to head height and is jettied over the
wall dividing'hall from passage. The jetty projects approximately 1 foot and has
chamfered joists curved at the ends. On the front wall of the hall is the blocked
fireplace with massive granite lintel and monolithic granite jambs. On the rear wall
(a chamfered wooden lintel) is evidence for a tall window. A solid cob wall, with
doorway no longer visible, divides the hall from the inner room. The inner room
fireplace is on the wall adjoining the wing. It is granite framed with a flat
chamfer partially blocked with the stops not visible. To the rear of the inner room
on one side is access to a small cellar room whilst on the other is a doorway to a
winder stone newel stair. The doorway is wooden framed with chamfered depressed
Tudor arch and jambs. Studded probably original door. The chamber above the inner
room has a granite framed fireplace and moulded hearth-stone with chamfer and
pyramidal stops. There is a doorway to the adjoining chamber in the wing which is
identical to that leading to the stairs below. In the wing chamber another similar
but smaller doorway leads to a garderobe contained in the angle between wing and main
block whose shaft is now covered by a stone slab. The roof construction over the
higher end and the wing differs from that over the hall. It also has principals with
curved feet morticed at the apex with trenched purlins, but its collars are curved
and halved onto the principals by an unusual form of elongated 'double' dovetail
joint with the collar notched both at the top and the bottom where it meets the
truss. The chamber above the passage has an ovolo-moulded wooden doorframe with
double hollow stepped stops and C17 door similar to lower room. The chamber above
the rear porch has an identical doorway but with no door. It also has a small granite
framed fireplace with chamfer and pyramid stops. The chamber above this lower room
is entered from the passage side through an ovolo-moulded wooden doorframe with worn
stops and C17 door similar to the others. The other doorway to the chamber is
chamfered with hollow step stops and identical door. In this chamber the bases of
trusses with curved feet are visible. At the top of the stairs from the kitchen is a
chamfered wooden doorframe with hollow step stops and identical door.
This house would be a remarkable survival in any area, but in Cornwall where there
are relatively few medieval houses and where the quality and quantity of early
interior woodwork is generally poor, it is of outstanding importance as a high
quality vernacular late-medieval hall house with a virtually intact interior. Being
unoccupied, the house is particularly vulnerable;its condition is now deteriorating
quite rapidly and its internal woodwork is particularly at risk should water start to
penetrate. An alternative potentially more serious danger is that repair and
modernisation work might be undertaken without a sufficient understanding of the
importance of the house.

Listing NGR: SX3030488058

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17529250

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

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  The green guide for historic buildings: how to improve the environmental performance of listed and historic buildings