Description

HARTLAND
SS 21 NE

8/133 Gorvin Farmhouse
-
- II

Farmhouse. Visible evidence dates the house to early - mid C17 but it is likely to
have late medieval origins; C19 addition. Plastered stone rubble walls, possibly
incorporating some cob. Gable-ended roof of grouted very small slates. Rendered
brick stack to left gable-end and lateral stack at front, rendered rubble stack with
slate dripcourse to right gable.
Plan: 3-room-and-through-passage plan with lower end to the right heated by gable-
end stack. Hall has a fireplace on its front wall, this may however be an insertion
into an open hall previously heated by a central hearth as this range of the house
is very low and the visible form of the roof trusses over it suggests a medieval
date. The very different finish of the hall ceiling beams and its fireplace lintel
suggest that they may in fact not have been inserted at the same time. The hall
most likely adopted its present form by the mid C17 incorporating a projecting
window bay next to the stack. A remodelling of the higher end to form parlour in
front and staircase wing at rear also took place in the Cl7 but is more likely to
have occured in the 2nd half of the century. By repute there was a plaster crest
and date on the 1st floor room at this end which suggests a high quality chamber.
The lower room stack is likely to be a fairly late insertion possibly coinciding
with the addition of an outshut at the rear in the C19 which superceded the lower
room as a dairy.
Exterior: 2 storeys. Asymmetrical 4-window front, the main range very low with
dormer windows under nipped roofs on 1st floor. Taller section at left-hand end has
later C19 12-pane horned sash on 1st floor and 9-pane sash below with C20 glazed
door to the right. Main range has early C20 2-light small-paned casements on the
1st floor. The left-hand part of the front wall projects adjoining the lateral
stack with an early C19 20-pane sash on the ground floor. Later C19 6-pane sash to
the right. To right of centre is C19 lean-to porch which has a stone rubble arch
and C20 part-glazed door behind. Rear elevation has outshot along principal range
with gabled wing to right which has a C17 2-light chamfered granite mullion stair
window.
Interior: C19 fireplace to lower room. Passage has chamfered and step-stopped
joists at a different level to the hall ceiling. Hall has high quality C17 ceiling
of 2 cross beams and joists all scroll-moulded and unstopped. Hall fireplace has
plain cambered wooden lintel. The inner room has chamfered half beam and cross-beam
unstopped. The staircase is of the transitional form, rising around a solid core
containing a cupboard rather than an open wall - without balusters or handrail it is
undateable but may well be C17.
Roof: there is no access to the roof space so any surviving evidence of smoke-
blackening cannot be seen. However the timbers appear to be of medieval form
consisting of substantial straight principals chamfered on their soffits and butt
purlins which are also chamfered. The collars are hardly visible but likely to be
cambered and halved onto the principals.
This house is an interesting example of C17 development of plan from what was almost
certainly a single storey medieval building.
Source: unpublished report by Dr. N. Alcock (differs slightly in interpretation).

Listing NGR: SS2903119743

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26617904

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

• 
  Devon (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Lancashire: Manchester and the South-East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Somerset: North and Bristol: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability