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Summary

Farmhouse. Late medieval origins, 17th century remodelling and extension, 20th century renovations. Whitewashed rendered cob on stone rubble footings, thatched roof, half-hipped at left end, gabled at right end, thatch replaced with corrugated asbestos to the front of the main range ridge. Axial granite stack with granite cap, gable end stack to wing.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1288660: BARN AND ADJOINING ROUNDHOUSE TO THE SOUTH WEST OF EAST DOWN FARMHOUSE
• Listed Building (II) 1214301: EAST DOWN FARMHOUSE

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX79SE/34
• Old Listed Building Ref (II)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• FARMHOUSE (Late Medieval - 1401 AD to 1539 AD (Between))

Full description

Department of Environment, 1949, St. Thomas Rd (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV336476.

East Down. Farmhouse is partly medieval, originally with tall 2-bay hall and jointed cruck roof. One bay rebuilt in early 17th century. Cob, thatched roof now covered in sheeting. Attached outbuilding. Two storeys with casement windows.

Royal Commission for the Historical Monuments of England, 1982, East Down Farmhouse (Report - Survey). SDV313776.

A house of probably late medieval origins, of cob, and with originally an open hall and a storeyed bay at one or at both ends. A service wing was added perhaps in the early 17th century, the hall floored soon afterwards, and the building extended then or later with additions for farm purposes.

Department of Environment, 1986, Dunsford, 6-7 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV340721.

East Down farmhouse, late medieval origins, 17th century remodelling and extension, 20th century renovations. Whitewashed rendered cob on stone rubble footings, thatched roof, half-hipped at left end, gabled at right end, thatch replaced with corrugated asbestos to the front of the main range ridge. Axial granite stack. Gabled end stack.
The present plan is three rooms and a through passage with a rear wing behind the hall, an outbuilding adjoining the main range at the lower right end. The core of the house was a medieval two bay open hall, remodelled and extended in the 17th century when the open hall was ceiled over the axial stack inserted, backing on to a through passage. Roof structural features.
The medieval roof survives in part and the interior is rich in early and late 17th century features. Evidence of smoke-blackening. High quality 17th century features: the hall stack is granite ashlar with jambs of single pieces of granite and a lintel with a narrow chamfer. The partition wall between passage and hall which is not taken up by the hall stack is a plank and muntin screen. A second screen at the inner end of the hall stack has chamfered muntins with step stops at hall bench level and a top rail with a cyma reversa moulding: a square-headed doorway in the screen leads into the inner room. The hall is very complete. See List for full details.

Ordnance Survey, 2014, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV355681.

Depicted on the modern mapping.

English Heritage, 2014, National Heritage List for England, 1214301 (National Heritage List for England). SDV355683.

2/5 East Down Farmhouse - 7.4.82 II
Farmhouse. Late medieval origins, C17 remodelling and extension, C20 renovations. Whitewashed rendered cob on stone rubble footings, thatched roof, half-hipped at left end, gabled at right end, thatch replaced with corrugated asbestos to the front of the main range ridge. Axial granite stack with granite cap, gable end stack to wing. The present plan is 3 rooms and a through passage with a rear wing behind the hall, and an outbuilding adjoining the main range at the lower right end. The core of the house was a medieval 2-bay open hall, remodelled and extended in the Cl7 when the open hall was ceiled over and the axial stack inserted, backing on to a through passage. The left-hand medieval roof truss at the higher end of the hall was replaced and the left-hand end of the roof raised. A lower end room was added, unheated, and possibly used for storage. There is evidence of a former newel stair, modified at a later date, to the rear of the hall. The rear kitchen wing may have been added later in the C17, confining services to the rear of the house and changing the status of the hall/kitchen to a hall/parlour. 2 storeys. Long irregular 6-window front, the first window from the left a raking dormer. Doorway into passage on front left of centre under a timber lintel, further doorway on front to right of centre with a timber lintel. Various 2- and 3-light casements, probably C19 or earlier, with glazing bars, 1 small window to the left of the through passage doorway. The outbuilding at the right end has a loft entrance and a ground floor doorway flanked by buttresses. A change in plane on the front at the left marks the C17 modification of the medieval building. The rear elevation of the house is particularly attactive with a 2-light timber mullioned window first floor rear left, a stair turret with rounded corner and a small 2-light timber mullioned window in the angle between the rear wing and rear left of the house. The rear wing has a projecting gable end stack and a good oak ovolo-moulded 3-light mullioned window on the first floor. To the rear right of the house the thatch is brought down as an open-fronted pentice on rough granite monoliths. Interior The medieval roof survives in part and the interior is rich in early and late C17 features. The medieval roof-consists of one smoke-blackened jointed cruck truss, the collar removed when the stack was inserted, and a jointed hip cruck at the higher end, the base of which is visible on the ground floor. Smoke-blackened rafters and thatch survive, the thatch laid on an arrangement of twigs rather than the more common battens. The apex of the cruck truss is concealed by the stack. The lower end room has a probably early C17 pegged truss with no sooting. The C17 features are of a high quality: the hall stack is granite ashlar with jambs of single pieces of granite and a lintel with a narrow chamfer. The partition wall between passage and hall which is not taken up by the hall stack is a plank and muntin screen. A second screen at the inner end of the hall has chamfered muntins with step stops at hall bench level and a top rail with a cyma reversa moulding: a square- headed doorway in the screen leads into the inner room. The hall has moulded cross beams with deep step stops and a similar half-beam against the stack; doorways on the rear wall of the hall lead to the rear wing (right)and the stair (left). The right- hand door has chamfered jambs and a cambered chamfered lintel. A niche with a brick lined drain, or possibly flue, on the front wall of the hall in a window recess is of unknown function. The inner room has 2 chamfered cross beams with step stops. The rear kitchen has an open fireplace with a chamfered lintel and timber posts in front of the jambs; a chamfered cross beam with step stops and exposed joists. The winding timber stair with landing has a C17 cambered chamfered doorway to the first floor of the main range. The first floor has been modified in the late C20 with a rear corridor. The partition wall on the first floor between the left-hand and middle rooms consists of timber framing with heavy studs, unusual for the region. A fine example of a medieval house with a high status remodelling in the early C17, unusually rich in C17 joinery and carpentry. The hall is very complete.
Listing NGR: SX7823991116

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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