Description

SS 80 NE
7/29

CHERITON FITZPAINE
Nos. 1, 2 and 3 The Old Almshouses

(Formerly listed as Nos.1-5)

GV
II*
Three houses, formerly five almshouses. Original 4 are probably early C17 (Pevsner claims 1594 and Mercer reckons second half of C17), the fifth dated 1853, renovated circa 1970.

Plastered cob on exposed rubble footings to first floor level on low chamfered plinth; exposed volcanic stacks with blocks laid to rough courses and with chimney shafts of plastered brick; thatched roof. Originally a row of four one-room plan almshouses facing north-west and C19 one-room plan almshouse added to left (north-east) end. Each original almshouse has a front-projecting lateral stack with the site of the front door to left and back door opposite. The C19 addition was built in the same style but the doorway is placed right of the front-projecting lateral stack.

No. 1 at left (north-east) end now includes the C19 almshouse and the left of the original almshouses. No. 2 occupies the single original adjoining to the right and No. 3 takes the right (south-west) pair of originals. Two storeys. Overall five-window front of circa 1970 casements with glazing bars interrupted by the five stacks. The original stacks are not identical but all have a drip course at eaves level and the left-hand three have moulded volcanic coping under the C19 brick shafts. The C19 left end stack is built in the same style and includes a small Beer stone date plaque inscribed 1853 near the top. Although original disposition of doorways has been altered the blocked two show with straight joins below circa 1970 windows. Many of the casements replaced original mullioned windows with leaded glass.

Interior. Cob party walls but knocked through to create large ground floor rooms in Nos. 1 and 3. Plain carpentry detail to 1853 build. Originals all have oak axial beam with halved beams along front and rear walls. They are chamfered with late step stops. Fireplaces in front wall. No. 2 is volcanic ashlar with oak lintel and ovolo-moulded surround. No. 3 has two fireplaces, centre-wards almshouse has plain volcanic sides and ovolo-moulded oak lintel and end almshouse has volcanic ashlar hooded fireplace with ovolo-moulded surround (the oak lintel is mutilated). The latter has a stone oven in the centre of the pentan. Roof of purlins between cob crosswalls.

Well-preserved and very attractive row of almshouses.

Sources. E Mercer English Vernacular Houses 1975 pp. 148-9 Pl. 99
.
Extensive pre-renovation photographic coverage in National Monuments Record.

Listing NGR: SS8710806228

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17548365

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

• 
  Suffolk: East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Somerset: South and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Cambridgeshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Suffolk: West: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Yorkshire: York and the East Riding (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Harrow on the Hill: A photographic portrayal of listed buildings and structures (Historic Buildings Picture Guides)