Description

NORTH TAWTON
SS 60 SE
6/88 Yeo Farmhouse
GV II
Farmhouse. It is likely that this is basically a late medieval building but it can
only be dated with certainty to the late C16 or early C17 with probably later C17
additions. Plastered cob and rubble walls. Thatch roof gabled to left end, hipped
to right. 3 brick stacks : 1 at left gable end and 2 axial.
Plan: complex structural development, the original form of which is not entirely
clear. The earliest roof structure survives over the hall and lower room (to the
right) suggesting that these comprised the original house which may have been open
to the roof with a central hearth to the hall but lack of access to the roof space
makes this uncertain. The ground floor features date mainly to circa late C16 at
which stage the open hall, if it existed, would have been floored and its fireplace
inserted backing onto the passage; the lower room fireplace is likely to be
contemporary. Instead of having a more customary inner room beyond the hall an
unheated wing was added behind it at this time. It contained a dairy and possibly a
staircase. To the rear of this wing is a small possibly contemporary range
parallel to the main house, the purpose of which is unclear, it has independent
access from the main house and may have been self-contained. Beyond the lower room
is an unheated room with store above added probably in the later C17. It is unclear
exactly when the room beyond the hall, at the left end, was added, but it is
probably post C17.
Exterior: 2 storeys. Long asymmetrical 5-window front of circa early C20, 4 and 5-
light casements. Central circa early C20 gabled stone porch with roundheaded arch.
C20 part-glazed door to passage behind. To right of porch, at an intermediate level
is a slit window. Rear elevation has stone steps at left end to first floor door.
Wing projects at right hand end with small wood mullion window just below eaves in
the angle. The rear parallel range has a 5-light diamond section wood mullion
unglazed window. The left gable end of the main range has a blocked wooden mullion
window on the ground floor.
Interior: 2 lower rooms have chamfered cross beams with hollow step stops. Hall and
passage have chamfered beams with raised arrow stops. At rear of hall is
contemporary chamfered wooden doorframe with similar stops.
Roof: over central part of main range are 3 very substantial side-pegged jointed
crucks. The rear wing roof consists of raised crucks - there is no access to the
roof space of either range so evidence of smoke-blackening is not available.
This was obviously a substantial and important building in the C17 which may well
date back to medieval times and is interesting for the 2 different forms of early
roof construction. It remains unspoilt with picturesque external elevations and
forms a traditional courtyard at the rear with a building likely to have been an
external bakehouse (q.v.).

Listing NGR: SS6526902847

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26595377

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

• 
  Old House Care and Repair
• 
  Wiltshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Somerset: North and Bristol: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Yorkshire West Riding: Leeds, Bradford and the North (Pevsner Architectural Guides / Buildings of England)
• 
  ENGLAND GUIDE TO POST WAR LISTED: A Guide to Post-war Listed Buildings
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990