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Summary

Appledore Barton farmhouse built in the 17th century with later alterations and additions on a site mentioned in the 11th century.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1393269: APPLEDORE BARTON

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: ST01SE/22
• Old Listed Building Ref (II): 506990

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• FARMHOUSE (XVI to XIX - 1600 AD to 1899 AD (Between))

Full description

Watts, M., 09/2011, Appledore Barton, Burlescombe, Devon (Report - Survey). SDV351096.

The core of the house at Appledore Barton is a 3-unit with cross-passage plan, a form which is quite common in houses of the late-medieval and post-medieval periods in Devon. The house may be classified as a modest yeoman farmer’s house, of which a remarkably high proportion survives, to a greater or lesser extent, in Devon (Thorp 1998, 79). Interpretation of the featureS indicate that the core of the house probably dates from the early 17th century, with alterations dating from c.1700 and further alterations and additions in the mid-late 19th century. The present roof structure and cladding dates from the mid 20th century. The survival of some smoke-blackened timbers in the roof space indicates that the roof was formerly open over the hall, although from the lack of smoke-blackening on lower part of the SW truss, it appears that the service end may have been built with a high ceiling. The smoke-blackening of some of the roof timbers is considered to be historic, rather than the result of a 20th century fire. No documentary or other evidence of earlier buildings or structures has been found and because several phases of alteration and addition have taken place, the historic features are now rather fragmented.

Ordnance Survey, 1880-1899, First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map (Cartographic). SDV336179.

'Appledore Farm' shown on 19th century map as a large group of buildings around several yards on the south side of the road to the north west of Appledore.

Reichel, O. J., 1898, The Domesday Hundreds of Devon: Parts 7,8: The Hundreds of Bampton and Uffculm, 453 (Article in Serial). SDV342708.

Appledore is probably a Domesday settlement.

Ordnance Survey, 1904 - 1906, Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map (Cartographic). SDV325644.

'Appledore Farm' shown on early 20th century map with orchards to the north west and south east.

Reichel, O. J., 1928 - 1939, The Hundred of Halberton in Early Times, 47,50,52,58,62,539 (Article in Monograph). SDV51621.

Appledore Barton, previously called 'Sourappledore', was 'Surapla' in Domesday. It was held by Walter de Clavil. Before the conquest it was held by Olwiet or Ulwi. Early descents given.

Gover, J. E. B. + Mawer, A. + Stenton, F. M., 1932, The Place-Names of Devon: Part Two, 547 (Monograph). SDV337894.

Appledore was mentioned as 'Surapla' in 1086, 'Sureapeldor' in 1242, 'Sourapeldare' in 1285, 'Sourappeldore' in 1303, 'Surapeldore' in 1428 and 'South-appeldore' in 1797.

Watts, M., 2009, Appledore Barton, Burlescombe, Devon. Historic Building Appraisal (Report - Survey). SDV349836.

English Heritage, 2009, List of Buildings of Architectural or Historic Interest (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV343181.

Appledore Barton is a two-storey farmhouse with 17th century origins, 18th century alterations and 19th century extensions. It is constructed of mixed rubble and cob, rendered and painted, with rubble extensions with red brick detailing. The roof is of corrugated asbestos with brick stacks. Most of the windows were repalced in the 1970s.
Plan: Oriented south west to north east, the principal domestic accommodation lies at the centre of the building: a former three-cell cross-passage house with service rooms and a linhay. There is a large two storey 19th century extension to the northwest as well as single storey 19th century kitchen extensions to the northwest (rear).
Exterior: The south east (farmyard) elevation is rendered with irregularly spaced three-light timber windows. At its south west end is a six bay open fronted linhay with a closed fodder store above. The domestic accommodation is to the north east of the linhay. The north east gable of the house is plain. On the north west elevation (rear) are a number of 19th century lean-to extensions.
Interior: The modern entrance to the house is through the extensions, which also house a garage and a series of service rooms including the kitchen with the remains of a 19th century bread oven. The original north entrance, with a wide plank door, leads from the kitchen into the cross-passage with the former south entrance opposite, now partially blocked to form a window. To the right (south) lies the former service range, converted into a sitting room with a 19th century dark marble fireplace inserted into a larger fireplace: the stop-chamfered bressumer for the earlier fireplace survives partially embedded in the wall. A doorway through a rear partition wall gives access to two small timber staircases: that to the south leads to two inter-connecting bedrooms. The main staircase to the north provides access to a landing, a bathroom and three bedrooms. Immediately to the north of the cross-passage lies the hall with the remains of a large stone fireplace with a massive timber bressumer, much altered in the 1970s and evidence of some moulded plaster coving. A third narrow timber stair gives access from the hall to a sixth bedroom to the north. Also to the north of the cross-passage, a corridor runs the length of the ground floor, at the rear. It provides access to the former parlour which has a blocked three-light window and joist-slots of a ceiling in the chamfered beams. Beyond the parlour is the 19th century extension to the north east end of the building; latterly both rooms were used as agricultural stores. The first floor six bedrooms and a bathroom are accessed by three separate staircases and a number of inter-connecting lobbies. A long corridor to the rear provides access via a flight of external stone stairs on the north elevation. The south western bedroom has an early 19th century fireplace inserted above a large former kitchen fireplace. An inter-connecting lobby between this room and the adjacent bedroom to the north has the remains of a timber-framed chamber with hand-forged hooks in the ceiling; given the location of this chamber above the original kitchen fireplace, this may represent the remains of a smoke-bay or curing chamber. The roof survives only in part and is much altered. The remains of three original trusses survive within the roof space. At the south west end of the central block is a jointed cruck truss believed to be early 17th century. The end blades can be seen in the bathroom and the bedroom immediately north of the curing chamber. North east of the hall stack is a second truss with a cambered collar and chamfered timbers. To the north east of the hall are the remains of a closed truss. All the timbers are blackened above the ceiling levels.Throughout the building are a number of ceiling beams, both spine-beams and cross-beams, several of massive proportions with large chamfers and stops, as well as some smaller elements with finer chamfers and other partially exposed evidence for internal timber framing. The joinery includes a series of doors of both 18th and 19th century date including six-panelled raised and fielded doors, as well as large plank-and-brace doors with strap hinges. The three staircases are very plain. The northern stair with moulded door frames at its foot and head appears to have been inserted circa 1700. The 19th century central staircase has simple stick balusters, but is supported by an earlier hand-hewn structure. Opposite the main staircase is a pair of moulded timber doorways with stop chamfers, believed to be 17th century or earlier. A similar moulded doorframe survives on the ground floor in the rear corridor giving access to the larder. The larder includes a cupboard with plank doors and strap hinges. There are a number of other wall recessed cupboards throughout the building with simple joinery and plank doors.
Subsidiary Features: The linhay is of pegged-timber construction including halved and pegged roof trusses suggesting a construction date of circa 1800, with evidence of considerable later alterations including insertion of medern brick-walling and nailed repairs to the timbers. Lean-to sheds have been added to the north west (rear) of the linhay. Immediately adjacent to the linhay, on the south side and currently only accessible through it, is a room with a single window to the south and in its east angle is a blocked doorway to the house.
History: Appledore is recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 but there is no known documentary evidence relating to the construction of Appledore Barton. A detailed examination of the building phases suggested an origin in the early 17th century with the cob walls being the earliest element, further alterations circa 1700 and later extension in the 19th century. The earliest mapping of the site in 1802 records buildings on the site and the 1837 Tithe Map shows a slightly different layout. For the majority of the 20th century the farmhouse was tenanted. It is understood that the thatched roof was lost during a fire in 1947. Appledore Barton has stood empty for a number of years. Other details: LBS Number 506990.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV5912 - Historic Building Appraisal at Appledore Barton, Burlescombe (Ref: 177/2009)

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