Description

The following building shall be added to the list:

SP 10 88 SOUTH TAWTON

4/1088
Old House at Lovaton
Farmhouse

II

House, now used as farm building. Circa late C15 remodelled in C16. and C17.
Cob on stone rubble plinth and with stone rubble patching. Corrugated iron
roof with gabled ends. Stacks truncated. Plan: 4-room-and-through-passage plan.
The lower end to the left of passage is divided into two rooms, the kitchen
with an axial stack backing onto the passage, the smaller lower end room is
unheated. The hall to the right of the passage is also heated from an axial
stack at its lower end but it is uncertain whether the large inner room was
heated. Development: The house was originally of 2-room-and-through-passage
plan, both the hall and the lower end were open to the roof but separated by
a cob partition wall on the lower side of the passage. While the hall remained
open to the roof the lower end was floored and an axial stack built against
the partition wall probably in early C16. Also in C16 an axial stack was built
at the lower end of the hall but the floor inserted in C17. The large inner
room is probably also a C17 addition. The division of the lower end to form
a small unheated end room was either a C17 or early C18 improvement or more
likely part of the first phase of remodelling in C16 to provide an inner room
to the lower end parlour with a solar above and a hall still open to the roof.
Exterior: 2 storeys. Asymmetrical front. The higher end front wall to right
has largely collapsed. Various late C19 or C20 casements. Passage front
doorway to left of centre with C17 ovolo-and-fillet moulded frame with mason's
mitres, the stops worn and with later plank door. At the rear the high end
wall to left has collapsed, the lower end to right is blind and the passage
rear doorway at centre has chamfered frame and old plank door and circa C18
2-light casement above with leaded panes. In lower gable end on first floor
remains of wooden frame of medieval 3-light window with pointed head lights,
the mullions missing. Interior: The hall fireplace has chamfered monolithic
granite jambs and later (C17) timber lintel with scratch moulding. Above fire-
place lintel the stub of chamfered axial beam with run-out stops and partition
to right of fireplace on chamfered timber beam with step stop; set back below
is remains of plank and muntin screen with chamfered muntins and doorway,
scratch-moulded head beam and old plank door. Passage has large unchamfered
joists. Kitchen fireplace has roll-moulded monolithic granite jambs, matching
moulded timber lintel and C19 oven. The axial ceiling beam is plastered over
and in back wall a C18 cupboard with fielded panel doors. The small lower
end room has roughly hewn axial beam and straight-flight staircase. In chamber
over lower end a small fireplace with curved back and unchamfered timber lintel.
The cob wall between passage and lower end is smoke-blackened on both sides
and has a small wooden doorframe with pointed (almost round) head, chamfered
on higher side and rebated for door on lower side. Of the original medieval
roof structure 2 trusses survive, one over lower end, the other over lower
end of the hall has arch braces. There is no truss between, the purlins are
supported on the cob wall on the lower side of the passage. The trusses are
side-pegged jointed crucks with triangular blocks at the apex, diagonal threaded
ridgepiece and threaded purlins, all smoke-blackened. The roof is wind-braced
over the hall, but not over the lower end. There is a lighter scantling wind-
brace over the passage, nailed to the purlins. The collar of the lower end
truss is missing. Some of the purlins survive over the lower end and over
the hall but the higher end truss or trusses and most of the common rafters
are missing.

Listing NGR: SX6797293455

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26611634

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

• 
  Liverpool: Pevsner City Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  [(Bedfordshire, Huntingdon and Peterborough)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1968)
• 
  Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2
• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Farrow & Ball How to Decorate: Transform your home with paint & paper
• 
  Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy