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Summary

Farmhouse, 16th and 17th century, thoroughly renovated and partly rebuilt circa 1970.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1251275: EAST DENSHAM FARMHOUSE

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS80NW/70
• Old Listed Building Ref (II): 433933
• Royal Albert Memorial Museum Accession Number: 76/2008

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• FARMHOUSE (XVI to XX - 1501 AD to 2000 AD (Between))

Full description

Passmore, A. J., 2008, East Densham Farmhouse, Woolfardisworthy. An Historic Building Evaluation (Report - Survey). SDV344574.

T-shaped building of stone and cob with the main range orientated east-west and a north-south cross wing at the west end which retains parts of a medieval roof. Also attached to the main range are a pantry lean-to on the north elevation and a porch on the east elevation, the former is probably early 19th century in date, the latter is modern. Abutting the north-west corner of the cross wing is a small store, the remains of a larger, two storey 19th century barn. The main range formerly extended further to the east. The building is thought to date from the late 15th, early 16th century and was a variant of the standard 3-room and cross passage design with the parlour located in an additonal range adjacent to the hall. This range was originally open to the roof as shown by the presence of decorative wind braces and smoke-blackened timbers. The open ground floor rooms were probably floored over, perhaps piecemeal in the 17th century and stone fireplaces replaced open hearths. The cross-wing is also thought to have been extended at this time. The lean-to extension to the north of the main range was constructed pre 1840. The house underwent extensive alterations in the 1940s and again in the 1960s and 1970s which included replacing the windows and alterations to the roof. See report for full details.

Collings, A. G. + Parker, R. W. + Passmore, A. J., 2009, Historic Building Recording and Watching Brief at East Densham Farm, East Woolfardisworthy, Devon, 10 (Report - Watching Brief). SDV344615.

During the medieval period the form formedpart of the lands of Montacute Priory. The present building was probably built during the ownership of the priory, proably in the late 15th- or early 16th century, which may explain the ground plan and high quality of the surviving roof, which is comparable with may other good quality farmhouses and minor gentry houses. The building was a variant of the standard three-room and cross passage design, with the inner room located in a cross wing off the hall. This cross wing was, on the evidence of the smoke-blackened timbers and plaster and the ornate roof structure, of one storey and open to the roof. The inserted fireplaces in the kitchen and hall also indicate that the other rooms of the building were originally single storey and open to the roof.
The listing description states that the lower beam in the living room (former hall) was moved from the kitchen to replace 'the internal jetty crested by the insertioin of a chamber over the passage in the open hall'. If this is taken to mean that the present beam is on the line of the jetty then this would be highly unusual in that the jetty would have projected nearly a quarter of the way into the open hall. It is possible however, that the beam was located between the jetty and the existing western beam. What this probably illustrates is that the flooring-in of the house occurred over a period of time, with the hall remaining open, whilst the kitchen and cross passage, and perhaps the parlour, were floored over to provide first-floor rooms. It is likely that the building was first fully floored in the 17th century. The exentsion to the cross wing may also date to the 17th century or a little later.
There is little evidence for other alterations until the 18th- or 19th century. By 1840 the building had been extended to the east with the addition of a two-storey extension and two single-storey lean-to extensions had been built at the rear. One has since been demolished, but the other survives and has been extended during the 20th century.
Although not well documented in the historical records there is some evidence that the house may have been subdivided into separate domestic units. In addition to the probable cross passage there were may external doorways into the house, all of which were blocked in the 1960s or 1970s. An aerial photograph also shows a further door into the now demolished east room.
During the second half of the 20th century extensive alterations took plae. Several outbuildings or extensions were demolished, and the upper floors of the east range and the extension to the cross wing were rebuilt and provided with new roofs.

Gaimster, M., 2010, Post-Medieval Fieldwork in Britain and Northern Ireland in 2009: Devon (Article in Serial). SDV354871.

Exeter Archaeology undertook recording at this remote farm; early 16th, or perhaps late 15th century . The late 19th-century linhay and shippon were also recorded (citing A.G. Collings et al., Exeter Archaeology).

Ordnance Survey, 2013, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV350786.

English Heritage, 2013, National Heritage List for England (National Heritage List for England). SDV350785.

Farmhouse. C16 and C17, thoroughly renovated and partly rebuilt circa 1970. Plastered cob on rubble footings; rubble stacks with restored rubble chimney shafts; slate roof, thatched roof until circa 1970. T-shaped building with main block facing south-east and crosswing projecting front and rear on left (south-west) end. Main block comprises hall, through passage and service room of C16 hall house; the service room on the right (north-east) end. (Secondary room beyond service room until demolished circa 1970). 2-room parlour crosswing at upper end of hall. End stack to service room, projecting front lateral stack to hall and axial stack to crosswing. 2 storeys. Irregular 3-window front to main block of circa 1970 replacement casements with glazing bars. Also circa 1970 door to passage with contemporary flat-roofed hood. Windows to front of crosswing and those on the other sides are also similar circa 1970 casements with glazing bars but most seem to occupy old window embrasures. Stacks retain heavily repointed rubble chimney shafts. Roofs are now gable ended. NMR pre-renovation photographs show hip to front of crosswing and a now-demolished 1-room extension to service end. Modernised interior. Service room end completely rebuilt circa 1970 but elsewhere older fabric remains. Lower side of passage is a rubble crosswall which contains a C16 oak shoulder-headed arch. Hall has a restored rubble fireplace with replacement oak lintel and 3-bay ceiling carried on late C16-early C17 chamfered and step- stopped crossbeams. The beam towards the lower end was moved from the service room circa 1970 and set here to replace the internal jetty created by the insertion of a chamber over the passage in an open hall. Roof structure of main block completely replaced circa 1970 replacing jointed cruck trusses. Early roof of crosswing is said to remain but is inaccessible. NMR photograph shows a jointed cruck truss with unchamfered arch-bracing and windbraces. This roof is said to be smoke-blackened suggesting a late C15-early C16 date and a parlour wing open to the roof and heated by an open hearth fire. Densham was the Domesday Manor of Donevoldeshame.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4688 - Historic Building Evaluation of East Densham Farmhouse
• EDV4707 - Building Recording and Watching Brief at East Densham Farm

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