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Summary

Talaton Farmhouse and Cottage, an H-plan house, originally dating from the late 15th, early 16th century with later improvements, one of them dated 1623. Refurbished in early 19th century. The oldest parts are cob and stone, but much has been rebuilt in brick. Said to be the oldest brick-built farmhouse in Devon.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II*) 1098105: TALATON FARM COTTAGE TALATON FARMHOUSE

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SY09NE32
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SY09NE/102
• Old Listed Building Ref (II*): 86931

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• FARMHOUSE (Unknown date)

Full description

Department of Environment, 1988, Talaton (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV341348.

Talaton Farmhouse and Talaton Farm Cottage. Late 15th - early 16th century with major later 16th and 17th century improvements, one of them dated 1623, thoroughly refurbished in the early 19th century. The older parts are plastered cob on stone rubble footings but much has been rebuilt in brick, some of it very early; brick and stone rubble stacks with brick chimneyshafts; slate roof, formerly thatch.
Plan and development: H-plan house facing south-west. The main block has a 4-room-and-through-passage plan. The passage is roughly central and contains the main stair. The rear doorway is now blocked. The large room to right is the lower end and has an axial stack backing onto a small unheated lobby room which is now divided off to the Farm Cottage. The rest of the cottage occupies a former service wing which includes the kitchen towards the rear with a large inner side lateral stack. To left of the passage is the former hall; it has a front lateral stack. The former inner room is unheated and is now used as a kitchen. It was probably a buttery before. The left end crosswing has gone out of full domestic use but was built as a 2-room plan parlour crosswing, the front room with a front gable-end stack. This is a house with a long and complex structural history. The original house occupies the main 3-room-and-through-passage plan section of the main block. There is an original full height crosswall between hall and inner room. The rest of the house was probably divided by low partitions; the passage was then apparently a little further towards the service end. Since the whole of the original roof is smoke-blackened there must have been 2 open hearth fires, one each side of the crosswall. The subsequent evolution of the house is difficult to follow since much of the evidence has been removed or is hidden. However a date plaque claims the house was built in 1623. This was in fact a major refurbishment. If the early brick of the parlour crosswing dates this early it is the earliest dated brick building known in Devon. The wagon roof in the parlour also poses a problem of dating. It appears to be built with the brick walls. Usually roofs of this construction are considered 16th century and usually early 16th century. Is the brick even earlier? or have cob walls been
replaced. The plaque is set in the rear wall of the main block. It seems the house then faced north-eastwards. This rear wall was also rebuilt in brick in the late 17th century. A lot of the interior was probably rebuilt at the same time. There was a major modernisation in the early 19th century; the main stair dates from then. It was probably at this time that the former parlour crosswing went out of domestic use. At some time the floor was removed and the fenestration much altered. A now upper floor has been since built over most of it.
Talaton Farmhouse is a very important building. It has a superior late medieval roof including a most unusual intermediate truss. However it is the former parlour crosswing which stands out. The handmade bricks here are of a distinctive shape, longer, narrower and thinner than standard bricks. Even as late as 1623 this is the oldest dated brick building in Devon by more than 50 years. Also can the wagon roof be considered to date as late as 1623? In its heyday it was a high quality gentry house.
See listing description for full exterior and interior details. Other details: LBS No. 86931.

National Monuments Record, 2008, SY09NE32 (National Monuments Record Database). SDV341349.

The oldest brick-built farmhouse in Devon, dated 1623. Other details: Pastscape Monument No. 897614.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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