Description

DOLTON
SS 51 SE
5/37 Barn at SS 558109 (to east of
Lower Langham)
II
Barn, formerly house. Early C16 with alterations probably of 1574. Stone
rubble and rubble and cob walls. Gable-ended corrugated iron roof.
Plan: the original plan is unclear and may well have been reduced since the quality of the features is surprisingly high for the simple 2-room plan
which survives. The larger room is to the left, heated by a front lateral
stack, a thick wall divides it from the smaller right-hand room which was probably a parlour heated by a lateral fireplace in its front corner. At
the rear of this room are newel stairs in a projection. A C19 outshut has
been added adjoining this to the left. It is possible that a cross-passage
and lower room have been demolished beyond the large left-hand room which
is likely to have been the hall. This was originally open to the roof with
a central hearth but lack of further evidence in the roof prohibits an
assumption that the house was originally open from end to end although this
seems quite likely. The date stone of 1574 may indicate the date when the
hall was celled, the stacks inserted and the newel stairs added. It is
unclear when the house was downgraded to agricultural use but fairly
substantial alterations must have taken place at that time including the
removal of both chimney stacks and a partial rebuilding of the front wall.
Exterior: 2 storeys but with windows only on the ground floor. Asymmetrical
front with 1 window opening high on ground floor to left of centre and a
small opening to its right. Neither has any remains of windows or frames.
Above the left-hand opening is a stone plaque inscribed with the date 1574
and the name W. Martin below it. The doorways are in either gable-end wall.
The rear elevation has stair projection to left with out shut built
immediately to its right. In the left-hand gable end wall a straight joint
is clearly visible towards the front showing where the front wall was
rebuilt.
Interior: larger left-hand room has 3 chamfered cross beams with hollow
step stops. Blocked lateral fireplace has heavy wooden lintel and rubble
jambs. The right-hand room has 2 chamfered and straight-cut stopped axial
beams. Small fireplace in front corner has hollow chamfered dressed stone
jambs and wooden lintel with mason's mitred stops. At the rear of this room
is a chamfered wooden square-headed doorframe leading to the newel stairs.
The original stone steps with wooden treads survive. On the 1st floor a
section of late C16 good quality panelling is preserved although not in
situ. Roof= one original smoke-blackened roof truss survives over the left-
hand room consisting of straight principals probably cut off at the bottom,
with threaded purlins and cranked morticed collar. Despite this buildings
change of use and the alterations to its exterior it still preserves a
number of interesting and good quality internal features.

Listing NGR: SS5588210983

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26617823

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

• 
  Worcestershire Revised Edition (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Development and Design of Heritage Sensitive Sites: Strategies for Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas
• 
  A Buying and Owning a Listed Building: A Brief Guide
• 
  Surrey (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Pevsner's Architectural Glossary (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  The green guide for historic buildings: how to improve the environmental performance of listed and historic buildings