History

Late medieval (C16) and sub-medieval (C17) 3-unit hall house (later floor to hall). Tall three storey gabled cross-range to south-east, low hall range to centre with cross-range completing U-plan to north-west. At the time of listing in 1985 this building was in a fairly ruinous condition, but it has been completely renovated since with a very high quality of oak joinery from the owner's hand. It is not known why this building is called a mill. The watercourse is some way away and none of the building seems appropriate for a water-mill.

Exterior

The tall south-east range is built of random local rubble, having battered walls with finely coursed masonry and thin quoins to lower storeys, freestone quoins above; pitched stone tile roof with rubble stack.
The entrance front to east (two storey extension or porch removed before listing) is three storeys. The ground floor has a replacement boarded door with strapwork hinges in original chamfered jambs with a replacement 4-centred head. A vertical joint in masonry to left indicates further (blocked) opening, still evident internally (see Interior). Modern 2-light casement in rebuilt walling to left. The first floor has three windows, the outer ones with rectangular hoodmoulds, all are modern casements. Single window in attic floor under eaves, also modern. Steeply pitched roof with rebuilt stack with weathering to right gable.
The left return gable has two windows to the ground floor and one to each of the upper floors, all differing sizes, all modern casements in new openings.
The right return has stair windows between each floor, both unusually large with 4-lights. They have timber lintels and pegged arched frames in plain reveals, the diamond mullions have been renewed, but part of the frames are original.
The rear elevation is mostly hidden by the lower attached wing, but there is a large quoined opening with post-and-panel infill which is cut by the slope of the roof.
The older hall and cross-wing attached to the rear of the tall block has been much more considerably rebuilt since 1985. L-shaped range built of local rubble stone with natural slate roof with stone slates to easing courses. Two storeys only with single depth plan and centre hall unit. The south front has rebuilt rubble masonry, with a 3-light and a 2-light casement and a plank door under timber lintels. Three gabled dormers with 2-light casements above. All these features are late C20 joinery.

The north front has a partly old 4-light hall window and a door below and two dormers above with a third on the L-range, all as before. Blind gable end with rebuilt stack. Road elevation with new windows.

Interior

The interiors retain a remarkable amount of C16 and C17 timber work including three upper cruck trusses with collar beams, through purlins, post-and-panel partitions etc, to south-east cross-range. Wall-plates, main joints, panelling etc, with finely detailed roll mouldings. Paired 4-centre timber arches (one blind) at main entrance; these are chamfered and the blind one is seen on the interior to have remarkable bowing in the lower half as if it were used as a cow door at some period. Paired 4-centre timber arches at first floor entrance to solar (or withdrawing chamber), mostly timber turnpike stair within north-east angle, chamfered stone chimney piece at first floor (timber lintel on ground floor) to massive chimney breast in north-west angle. All the oak joinery has been repaired, and where necessary, replaced in the years since 1985. Quite a number of floor beams are entirely new but have already aged in appearance to match the others so some are difficult to tell apart. The roof of this range was largely replaced except for the main trusses.
Central range retains a single cruck truss (collar beam and trenched purlin missing), later cross walls and inserted floor, reused timbers to post-and-panel screen. 4-light mullioned window to rear wall. The roof of this range has been completely replaced.

Reasons for Listing

Included for its special interest as a late C16 and C17 house of local type, retaining clear evidence of its hall-house origins and subsequent development, including good interior detail.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q29482778

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

• 
  Wiltshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  The Shredded Chef: 120 Recipes for Building Muscle, Getting Lean, and Staying Healthy
• 
  This Old House: Restoring, Rehabilitating, and Renovating an Older House
• 
  Somerset: North and Bristol: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990
• 
  The green guide for historic buildings: how to improve the environmental performance of listed and historic buildings