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Summary

Fishleigh barton. The small connecting range is the oldest part of the house. Roof composed of equal-sized rafters with collars and ashlar pieces, at the foot. Without purlins or ridgepieces. Only recorded secular example of this type of roof. Probably built before 1400. May have been the original hall on the site. Kitchen has large fireplace spanned by an enormous lintel. Devon type roof at end of cruck tradition. One original window on first floor with alternating small diamond and semi-octagonal mullions. Still has one iron hinge shutter. Early 16th century, probably an outside kitchen. Main house is a 17th century barton. Ovolo moulded door frame with date 1627. Original studded door with straps survives. Plan: three room and cross passage, but the room beyond passage was expanded into a cross wing. Large hall with fireplace in rear wall. Ovolo moulded door frame with large stop with quirks leads to main staircase which has original balusters and moulded handrail. Moulded plaster cornices in downstairs rooms. All door frames chamfered, mostly with scroll stops. True mitres. The visible roof trusses are jointed crucks. Barn to west of house. Portions of four cruck trusses remain. Walls mostly reconstructed, but three slits at south end probably original, two low and one central one at a higher level. The cruck blades stand on templates 1.83m above the ground. The ridge is clasped in the same way as at bury barton lapford. The collars are slightly cranked, two sets of purlins. At each truss the purlins are butted into mortices and pinned from the back of the blades. Lower purlins have wind braces. At the north end the purlins have a final windbrace and run into the masonry without a terminal truss. This end perhaps rebuilt. C.1400. Typical devon cruck barn (alcock 1968). True cruck and jointed cruck recorded (alcock 1981). Documented in 1390 (mawer et al). Date of 1627 on doorway but parts probabaly older. Partly thatched. Mostly new fenestration. Interior contains fine early 17th century staircase and several rooms with well preserved plasterwork on walls and ceilings. Good moulded fireplaces. Chief bedroom has coved ceiling with early 17th century plasterwork. Next bedroom has very fine tudor roses and marguerites (doe 1960).

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS52SE/1
• Old Listed Building Ref (II*)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• FARMHOUSE (Early Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1750 AD)

Full description

DOE 1960, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV70823.

Fishleigh barton. The small connecting range is the oldest part of the house. Roof composed of equal-sized rafters with collars and ashlar pieces, at the foot. Without purlins or ridgepieces. Only recorded secular example of this type of roof. Probably built before 1400. May have been the original hall on the site. Kitchen has large fireplace spanned by an enormous lintel. Devon type roof at end of cruck tradition. One original window on first floor with alternating small diamond and semi-octagonal mullions. Still has one iron hinge shutter. Early 16th century, probably an outside kitchen. Main house is a 17th century barton. Ovolo moulded door frame with date 1627. Original studded door with straps survives. Plan: three room and cross passage, but the room beyond passage was expanded into a cross wing. Large hall with fireplace in rear wall. Ovolo moulded door frame with large stop with quirks leads to main staircase which has original balusters and moulded handrail. Moulded plaster cornices in downstairs rooms. All door frames chamfered, mostly with scroll stops. True mitres. The visible roof trusses are jointed crucks. Barn to west of house. Portions of four cruck trusses remain. Walls mostly reconstructed, but three slits at south end probably original, two low and one central one at a higher level. The cruck blades stand on templates 1.83m above the ground. The ridge is clasped in the same way as at bury barton lapford. The collars are slightly cranked, two sets of purlins. At each truss the purlins are butted into mortices and pinned from the back of the blades. Lower purlins have wind braces. At the north end the purlins have a final windbrace and run into the masonry without a terminal truss. This end perhaps rebuilt. C.1400. Typical devon cruck barn (alcock 1968). True cruck and jointed cruck recorded (alcock 1981). Documented in 1390 (mawer et al). Date of 1627 on doorway but parts probabaly older. Partly thatched. Mostly new fenestration. Interior contains fine early 17th century staircase and several rooms with well preserved plasterwork on walls and ceilings. Good moulded fireplaces. Chief bedroom has coved ceiling with early 17th century plasterwork. Next bedroom has very fine tudor roses and marguerites (doe 1960).

DOE, 1987, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV70824.

Fishleigh barton farmhouse. Possibly c14 origins to rear connecting range, main range probably c15, early c16 outside kitchen range. Main range remodelled 1627 by carved date over main doorway. Rendered stone and cob. Asbestos slate roof with gable ends. Rendered, axial and lateral stacks. Complex plan. The main range essentially three room and former through passage plan. Formerly open to the roof. Two storeys. Six window range including cross-wing. Remarkably intact c17 interior features concealing the c15 origins of this range. Roof structural features. See doe list for full details (doe, 1987).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV70825.

Osa=ss52se14.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV70826.

Alcock, n. W. /tda/100(1968)13-18 pl.1,figs 1-2/devon farmhouses, pt 1.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV70827.

Alcock, n. W. /cruck construction(cba res rep 42)/(1981)108.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV70828.

Gover, j. E. B. + mawer, a. + stenton, f. M. /the place-names of devon/(1931)122.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV70829.

Doe/hhr:barnstaple rd/(-/3/1960)48-49.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV70830.

Doe/hhr:tawstock/(18/3/1987)33a-34.

Cramp, C., 2015, North Devon Relief-Decorated Ceramics in the Household, 202-204 (Article in Monograph). SDV365391.

North Devon relief-decorated tiles were used at Fishleigh Barton, indicating their acceptance in buildings of high social level. This is the only instance in which relief tiles appear to have been found in situ, where about four or five tiles decorating each jamb were found, set in plaster, when the fireplace of the main first floor chamber was opened up circa 1964. None were seen set against the back wall of the hearth. Unfortunately these remarkable survivals were soon removed from their setting and no photo showing them in situ appears to survive. They were not mentioned when Alcock published an account of the house a few years later.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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