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Summary

Farmhouse dating to the 16th century but which was largely rebuilt and extended c.1700. The plain exterior contrasts with the richness of the interior detail which includes a number of 17th and 18th century features. Described as an excellent example of a multiphase farmhouse of some stature. The name Dunsley is first documented in the 14th century.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II*) 1106674: DUNSLEY FARMHOUSE

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SS82NE21
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS82NE/27
• Old Listed Building Ref (II*)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• FARMHOUSE (Built, XVI to XVIII - 1501 AD (Between) to 1800 AD (Between))

Full description

Gover, J. E. B. + Mawer, A. + Stenton, F. M., 1931, The Place-Names of Devon: Part One, 336 (Monograph). SDV1312.

Documented in 1333 and 1345.

Alcock, N. W., 1981, Cruck Construction: An Introduction and Catalogue, 112 (Report - non-specific). SDV342504.

Dunsley Farm. Jointed cruck recorded (citing C. Hulland).

Department of Environment, 1987, East Anstey, 7-8 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV340469.

Dunsley Farmhouse. Probably early C16, remodelled in late C16, lower and largely rebuilt and extended c.1700 with C20 alterations. See DoE listing for full details.

Ordnance Survey, 2026, Mastermap 2026 (Cartographic). SDV366713.

Historic England, 2026, National Heritage List for England 2026, 1106674 (National Heritage List for England). SDV366714.

Farmhouse. Probably early C16, remodelled in late C16, lower end largely rebuilt and extended circa 1700, with C20 alterations. Roughcast rendered stone rubble and cob. Asbestos slate roof with gable ends. Rendered axial stack, rendered stack at left end, small brick stack to rear of lower end and capped rear lateral stack to rear right end.
Plan and development: Complex multiphase development. The house consists of a hall heated by axial stack backing onto cross-passage, with inner room to right, upper end partitioned in C20 into two rooms, with gable ended stair projection to rear of left-hand room, and lower end to left of cross-passage also consisting of two rooms. The hall and lower end were originally open to the roof, with a solid wall partition at the upper end of the hall. It is unclear therefore whether the inner room is an addition; the cruck truss is clean over this end suggesting the inner room was floored from the outset. The hall appears to have been floored and the axial stack inserted in the late C16. The lower end appears to have been largely rebuilt and extended in circa 1700, consisting of two rooms, the smaller room nearest tile cross-passage apparently a dining room, divided axially towards the rear with a stack on the rear partition wall flanked by a staircase on the right which breaks into two flights, and former stair on the left which led, unusually, down to a cellar kitchen, the stack heating the dining room extending down into the cellar fireplace incorporating a bread oven. The second room at the left end was the parlour. Thus, the lower end contains the rooms of higher status, while the hall and inner room appear to have been used since circa 1700 as the living/kitchen area. Dairy outshut to rear left end, and C20 single storey right-angled extension to front of inner room.
Exterior: two storeys, with cellar below lower end. Five-window range. C20 fenestration. Shallow bracketted canopy to cross-passage doorway with plain pilasters and C20 door.
Interior: The plain exterior hides the richness of the interior. Inner room has single axial chamfered ceiling beam. Fireplace blocked. Staircase in rear stair projection has had lower treads replaced, but retains C17 balustrade with slender turned balusters, moulded handrail and knob finials. Hall has closely spaced deep chamfered beamed ceiling, with principal axial beams and half cross beams to the front of the axial stack. Hall fireplace concealed by C19 chimneypiece, but original lintel and old oak inglenook bench with shaped legs survive behind.
Headrail and a short section of plank and muntin screen to lower side of cross-passage, some of the screen reused across the rear of the passage when stairs in lower end were inserted. Small room to left of passage has moulded plaster cornice and C18 dado panelling. Parlour at left end has plasterwork panelling on all but the front wall, of single large panels above smaller dado panels with decorative enriched plaster cornice. The end wall chimneypiece has two narrow vertical panels flanking a narrow plasterwork overmantel panel with egg and dart surround and containing three small plasterwork roundels depicting mythical scenes. The recesses to each side of the fireplace contain semi-circular arched alcoves with reeded pilasters and raised and fielded two panelled doors to the lower cupboards. The fireplace grate, said to be Adam style, was removed in C20, and only the outline of a large oval plasterwork ceiling can be traced. The house retains a large number of C18 raised and fielded 3 and 4 panelled doors; the chamber over the hall retains a partially cased in C17 chamfered door surround. The cellar below has a fireplace to the rear wall, with a brick-lined bread-oven, the lintel replaced. In the front right-hand corner is a low niche to a well.
Roof structure: three original trusses appear to survive, that over the left end is certainly a jointed cruck, those over the hall and inner room are plastered over. Due to the height of the bedroom ceilings the trusses are only accessible in the roofspace above collar height. The collars appear to be cambered and morticed and tenoned. The ridge is diagonally set, and the purlins appear to be trenched. The solid wall paritition at the upper end of the hall rises to tne apex of the roof and is smoke-blackened on the hall side only. The cruck truss over the inner room is clean, as are all the remaining roof timber, suggesting the end was floored by the outset. The hall and lower end truss and surviving rafters are smoke-blackened, which becomes progressively lighter towards the lower end. Beyond the lower end truss are two further trusses, with straight principals, probably dating from the C18 extension.
Dunsley Farmhouse is an excellent example of a multiphrase farmhouse clearly of some stature, the richness of the interior detail contrasting strongly with the plainness of the exterior.
Date first listed: 15th September 1987

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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