Description

SS 50 NE
4/113

IDDESLEIGH
Little Barwick

II

House, originally probably farmhouse. Circa late C15 with early C17, C19 and C20
alterations. Rendered rubble and cob walls. Thatched roof hipped to rear wing,
otherwise gabled at each end. 2 gable end brick stacks.
Plan: original plan not entirely clear due to C19 and C20 alterations but the size
of the house suggests a 2-room plan initially open to the roof over tile hall which
was at the right hand end. A solid wall divides it from the left-hand room which
may be likely to be original and have been floored from the start or it may be a C17
addition as a parlour. In the C17 the house was floored and a stack added at either
end, there also appears to have been a central axial stack but it is not clear how
this affected the room arrangement since there is room only for a small room at the
centre. Probably in the C18 a stable or animal shed was added behind the left-hand
room. In the C19 the house was divided into 2 cottages and in the later C20 it
reverted again to one property and these changes may have significantly altered
internal partitions. Alternatively it is possible that the house formerly extended
further at the left-hand end.
Exterior: 2 storeys. Regular 3-window front of 2-light C20 casements without
glazing bars. Central C19 plank and glazed door under gabled doorhood. Outbuilding
wing extends behind left-hand end. C20 leanto addition at rear of house.
Interior: right-hand room has large fireplace with chamfered wooden lintel which
has straight-cut stops, brick jambs probably rebuilt and brick oven in right-hand
side. The left-hand room has a good quality C17 beamed ceiling with 2 ovolo-moulded
cross beams with jewelled stops, its joists also have moulded edges. Adjoining the
fireplace however in a recess for the window the joists are chamfered with pyramid
stops. The fireplace has an ovolo-moulded wooden lintel and a cloam oven in the
left-hand side.
Roof: the original roof structure survives over the right-hand side of the house.
It consists of 2 true crucks of very heavy scantling with morticed cranked collars,
threaded purlins and threaded diagonal ridge which has triangular strengthening
block below. The original common rafters also survive - all the timbers are heavily
smoke-blackened and some original sooted thatch is also preserved. The internal
full-height cob wall is also blackened on the hall side. The roof of the left-hand
end is inaccessible.
The particular interest of this house lies in its medieval full cruck trusses which
are relatively unusual in Devon in comparison to the jointed crucks that are much
more prevalent in this area. It also preserves some good quality C17 features.

Listing NGR: SS5943907748

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26459495

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

• 
  Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability
• 
  Norfolk 1: Norwich and North-East: Norwich and North-east v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Building Small Projects (New Best of Fine Woodworking)
• 
  Churches: An Architectural Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)