Description

BISHOPSTEIGNTON RADWAY STREET, Bishopsteignton
SX 97 SW

10/67 Ashill Farmhouse

23.8.55
II

Farmhouse. Late C15/early C16 origins, remodelled in the circa early C17 with
subsequent phases of rebuilding and addition at the left end. Whitewashed plastered
cob on stone rubble footings, right end wall red sandstone rubble; thatched roof,
hipped at left end, gabled at right end ; 2 axial stacks, right end stack.
Plan: The present arrangement is a 3 room and through passage plan, hall stack
backing on to passage, lower end to the left, with an additional 1 room plan
extension a the left end. C18 and C19 rear left lean-to, early C20 2-storey rear
centre wing. The origins of the house are a late medieval open hall house with a
medieval roof structure surviving over the 2 right hand rooms and passage ; crosswall
at lower end of passage. The lower end and passage were probably floored before the
hall, and the hall stack appears to have been added before the circa early C17
flooring which has high quality carpentry detail. The right end wall of the inner
room has been rebuilt, contemporary with the inner room stack, the details suggesting
a possibly C18 date. There is also evidence of rebuilding at the lower end which
has an altered C17 kitchen fireplace. The rear wall of the hall and the roof to the
rear of the ridge has been adjusted to provide an axial first floor passage.
Extensive repairs of the 1970s and 1980s.
Exterior: 2 storeys. Asymmetrical 5-window front with a C20 gabled porch to left of
centre. C20 French windows, one to ground floor left and 2 to ground floor to right.
Small ovolo-moulded timber window frame to right of porch, re-sited and originally
part of a larger window, early C19 12-pane sash to right. 2 2-light C19 or C20 2-
light casements with glazing bars to first floor left, 3 12-pane sashes to first
floor right.
Interior: Fine hall with an open fireplace with a decayed timber lintel, bread oven
and a well-built relieving arch partly concealed by the early C17 ceiling beams
which have ovolo-moulded crossbeams with large decorative stops consisting of an urn,
a bar and a step. The joists are also ovolo-moulded and stopped and there is a
trimmer beam immediately in front of the stack with cross joists. The splayed jamb
and timber lintel of the large, early C17 hall window was found during renovations
but is now concealed ; splayed jamb also found of inner room window. The inner room
has a shallow open fireplace with large timber lintel and rough, slender, closely-
spaced crossbeams. The passage has plain exposed joists and C19 patterned floor
tiling. The lower end room has a plain crossbeam and large open fireplace with a
chamfered lintel. The jambs have been rebuilt and the fireplace was originally wider
than at present, remains of bread oven and a shallow niche with an iron door.
The first floor retains the remains of 2 chamfered doorframes in the axial passage,
presumably giving access to 2 first floor rooms from the first floor lobby of the
stair, prior to the creation of the axial passage. A third C17 doorframe with one
ovolo-moulded jamb and an ovolo-moulded lintel may be re-sited.
Roof: 3 side-pegged smoke-blackened jointed cruck trusses survive with peaked collars
mortised into the principals, a threaded diagonally-set ridge and threaded purlins, 2
bays complete with smoke-blackened thatch, rafters and battens. At the right end a
later replacement C17 truss with a lap notched collar. Some of the trusses have been
carefully repaired in the last 20 years. Soot encrustation suggests that the open
hearth was sited towards the present hall stack.
The present owner, Mr Dawe, who has repaired the house, has an extensive photographic
record of the repair work.
A multi-phase traditional house of late medieval origins with high quality early C17
carpentry.

Listing NGR: SX9129674011

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26595028

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: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair
• 
  Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Liverpool: Pevsner City Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  The Listed Buildings and Other Principal Structures at the Royal Gunpowder Mills Waltham Abbey
• 
  Central Leinster: Kildare, Laois and Offaly (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)