Description

BISHOPS TAWTON EASTER STREET, BISHOPS TAWTON
SS 53 SE
7/35 Town Tenement and Yew Cottage

II

Tenement farmhouse, now 2 dwellings. Probably Cl5/early C16. Extended in Cl7 and
again in C19. Whitewashed rendered cob and rubble with cement slurried slate roof
with gable ends. Lateral hall stack to rear heightened in brick and stack at
gable end of rear dairy. Axial stack formerly service end stack. Originally 3
room and through-passage open hall plan the roof pitch heightened at upper end in
C16 but remaining single-storeyed until C17 (possibly 1624 by datestone over
fireplace) when floors were inserted and stairs inserted in through-passage.
Right-angled dairy extension to rear of service end also probably C17. Lower end
extended in C19 by adding single bay forming overall T-shape plan. 2 storeys.
6 window range of horned sashes with marginal glazing bars to lst floor. Door at
left end with 2 late C18/early C19 3-light casements 6 panes each light to each
side of cross-passage doorway with C20 door. Interior: chamfered beam to parlour
and chamfered hall fireplace lintels. Panelled shutters to hall window. Scroll-
stopped chamfered fireplace lintel at lower end with 1624 datestone above. Cast
ironwork fireback dated 1662 initialled C.P. 2 bread oven openings. Ancient
settle (known locally as the "Bishops Chair") to right of hearth. Kitchen window
has been reduced in width. C18 door of 2 large panels at head of stairs to Yew
Cottage. Interesting roof structure with 2 levels of smoke-blackening. Sequence
of 4 trusses. Raised cruck truss one lower end of through-passage (that over
lower end has been replaced). Smoke-blackened with threaded purlins, diagonally
threaded ridge purlin and cranked collar morticed into blade soffits. The foot of
rear side blade has been truncated due to rear additions. A clean truss sits
directly over it considerably heightening the ridge, nevertheless, matching the
level of the third truss over the hall which is also heavily smoke-blackened with
threaded purlins. Clean truss over upper end is probably a C18 replacement with
side pegged collar, but smoke-blackened rafters extend to gable end. Later
patching and additions to trusses has further raised roof level. The ceiling to
chamber over hall has been dropped leaving part of C17 plasterwork cornice
concealed in roofspace.

Listing NGR: SS5674330341

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26457723

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

• 
  Surrey (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook 2 Books Bundle Collection (Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair,Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability)
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990
• 
  Churches: An Architectural Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Worcestershire Revised Edition (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Care and Repair