Well Farmhouse, South Tawton, Devon

Description

SX 69 SE SOUTH TAWTON

4/172 Well Farmhouse
22.2.67
II*

Farmhouse, former Dartmoor longhouse. Late C15-early C16 with major later C16 and
C17, one dated 1641, another 1660. Mostly roughly-coursed granite rubble, some cob
along wall tops and parts are coursed blocks of granite ashlar; granite stacks, the
hall one still with its original granite ashlar chimneyshaft; asbestos tile roof,
formerly thatch.
Plan and development: L-shaped house. The main block faces south-east and is built
down a slope. Unheated inner room (probably once a dairy) uphill at the right end.
The hall has large projecting front lateral stack with a projecting window bay
alongside and contains the main stair. Wide through passage with 2-storey front
porch. Former shippon with hayloft over is downhill at the left end with extra byre
accommodation in a low block projecting at right angles to rear. All this part has
now been brought into domestic use. Parlour block with gable-end stack projecting
at right angles to rear of inner room end. This is an interesting house with a long
and complex structural history. The main block was the original longhouse, open
from end to end, divided by low partitions and heated by an open hearth fire. The
inner room end was probably floored first but later rebuilt. The hall fireplace was
inserted in the mid or late C16. At the same time or a little later a chamber was
built over the passage jettying into the hall and a stair built to it alongside the
fireplace. In 1641, according to the date plaque, the parlour block was added with
its own staircase alongside the fireplace. About the same time the hall was floored
and the inner room end rebuilt. Hall and inner room have a continuous ceiling and
there is now no partition between, although a former occupant is reported to have
removed one. From the mid C17 the hall was used as a kitchen. The porch is dated
1660 and the hall bay was probably added at the same time. The shippon extension is
mid or late C17. House is 2 storeys.
Exterior: irregular 4-window front. The gabled porch has a round-headed outer arch
with chamfered surround. Above it 2-light granite mullioned window with hoodmould
and above that a plaque inscribed I or EN 1660. Small blocked windows in porch side
walls and it contains a wide early C19 part-glazed plank door in solid frame to the
passage (another similar to rear). Immediately to right is the hall stack with its
oven housing projecting in the angle. The hall bay is clearly secondary to the
stack and contains a C20 casement containing diamond panes of leaded glass, the
lower one in the surround of a C17 3-light window and still with its hoodmould. To
right the inner room end has another C17 granite-mullioned window. Left of the
porch an external flight of stone steps leads up to the former hayloft loading hatch
doorway. The cowdoor to right now contains a C20 French window and there is a C20
window above. The 2 windows in the end wall here may have been enlarged from slit
windows. The main roof is gable-ended to left and hipped to right. In the right
end wall there is a presumably C17 first floor window with granite segmental arch.
Straight join shows between main block and parlour. Parlour has a C20 casement each
floor, the ground floor one still with granite reveals of a probably 4-light window.
Its hoodmould labels are carved IN 1641 but 4 is recut and looks somewhat like an 0.
The byre extension retains its original disposition of doorways drain holes and slit
windows.
Interior: the remains of an oak, plank-and-muntin screen along the upper side of
the passage may be an original low partition screen; the surviving muntins are
chamfered with straight cut stops. The hall fireplace is large, built of granite
ashlar with hollow-chamfered surround; its oven replaced in C19. Stairs alongside
are C18 or C19 but their stone base is probably earlier. Hall and inner room end
have continuous 3-bay ceiling of mid C17 soffit-chamfered and scroll-stopped
crossbeams. Hall window seat is lined with C17 oak panelling. Shippon has a plain
axial beam. The 1641 parlour is well-preserved. It has a lime ash floor, granite
ashlar fireplace with hollow-chamfered surround and secondary oven, and crossbeam is
ovolo-moulded with runout stops. Roof above this section is 3 bays and carried on
A-frame trusses with pegged lap-jointed collars and shaped halvings. Several
ancient studded plank doors around the house. Good late medieval roof over main
block. 3 trusses survive. Their lower sections are now boxed into later portions
but are evidently some form of crucks. All have cambered collars. The outer ones
have small triangular yokes. (Alcock's apex type L1) but the centre truss has a
saddle (Alcock's apex type C), its underside shaped to create a rounded arch and the
top notched to take the diagonal ridge. Some windbraces survive from the central
truss. This original section of the roof is all heavily smoke-blackened from the
open hearth fire.
This is an attractive and important late medieval Dartmoor longhouse. The carved
initials refer to members of the Northmore family and Lega-Weeks reports one John
Northmore in 1858 describing the place as the "cradle of his race".
Source: Ethel Lega-Weeks. Neighbours of North Wyke, Part V. Trans. Devon. Assoc.
37 (1905) p.33, 372.

Listing NGR: SX6843190771

External Links

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British Listed Buildings

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Well Farmhouse

A Grade II* Listed Building in South Tawton, Devon

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Description

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