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Summary

Farmhouse, probably built early 16th century, remodelled and altered in 17th and 18th centuries, then remodelled again and partially rebuilt in mid to late 19th century. Some features survive from the different phases.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1213704: GREAT ABBOTTS FARMHOUSE

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS82NW/44
• Old Listed Building Ref (II): 398313

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• FARMHOUSE (XVI to XIX - 1501 AD to 1900 AD (Between))

Full description

Ordnance Survey, 1905, 16SW (Cartographic). SDV335672.

Department of Environment, 1964, South Molton Rural District, 43 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV320155.

Great Abbotts farmhouse, 17th century. Rubble and cob with asbestos roofing (formerly thatched). Central rubble stack. Two storeys. Casements. Five window front. Exposed ceiling beams. Open fireplace in kitchen. Listed as grade III awaiting regrading.

Department of Environment, 1988, Molland, 71 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV337231.

Farmhouse. Probably circa 1500, remodelled in the mid-17th century. Altered internally circa 1700 and outshut probably added in the 18th century. Remodelled and partly rebuilt in the mid - to late 19th century and roof altered in the mid-20th century. Coursed stone rubble with some red-brick dressings to left-hand end and to outshut, rendered to front. Some old cob in rear and in right-hand gable end. Gable-ended corrugated-asbestos roof. Square stone ridge stack with weatherings. Plan and development: 17th century three-room baffle-entry plan, facing south (ground falls to right). Axial stack with back to back fireplaces serving larger room (probably former kitchen) to left and present kitchen (probably former parlour) on lower level to right. Rectangular stair projection at rear of stack. Probably 18th or 19th century outshut at rear. Unheated room on lower level to right of kitchen, probably partially rebuilt in the mid-to late 19th century. The present kitchen was probably the parlour until the early 18th century at least (see high - quality 18th century wall cupboards). Staircase inserted in kitchen, possibly in the 18th century. The right hand ground-floor room was in use as a store at the time of survey (July 1987). The present layout might reflect the extent of the late-medieval house although its plan has been extensively altered. The right hand end room might be a rebuilding of a former service room and the 17th century parlour and kitchen are possibly rebuildings of hall and inner room respectively. Two storeys.
Exterior: asymmetrical south front. Five first-floor 19th century 2-and 3-light (mostly small-paned) wooden casements. Two ground-floor late 19th century three-light wooden casements to left and 19th century fixed 6-pane window to right. Nineteenth or 20th century boarded door between first and second windows from left and boarded door to left of right hand window at lower end.
Interior: lobby with old nail-studded boarded door to left-hand room and 18th or 19th century 4-panelled door to right-hand room. Left-hand room has 17th century chamfered cross beam with scroll stops and blocked fireplace with late 19th century mantelshelf consisting of central key block and scrolled brackets supporting shelf. Kitchen to right of stack has chamfered spine beam with broach stops and blocked fireplace. Two early 18th century wall cupboards with raised and fielded panels and beaded edges, that to rear with 2 panels to each door and that in right-hand wall with 2 panels to each upper door and single panels to lower doors. Window seat. Probably 18th century door to staircase from kitchen, with H-L hinges. Old boarded door between kitchen and right-hand room, with old strap hinges. Right-hand end room with 17th century chamfered spine beam. Seventeenth century oak winder stair in rectangular projection at rear of stack, with late 17th or early 18th century balustrade to landing consisting of splat balusters (centre one missing at time of survey), square newel post and beaded handrail. Old wide floorboards to first floor and old boarded doors with strap hinges to first-floor rooms, that to left-hand room with nail studding.
Remains of probably circa 1500 roof construction consisting of pair of probably cruck trusses flanking stack, the rear blade of the left-hand one removed, probably when staircase added. Left-hand truss truncated at first-floor ceiling level and right-hand truss (with evidence of chamfer to front blade) obscured by stack in roofspace. Only left-hand part of roofspace inspected; 17th century open truss has straight principals with trenches for former purlins. Rest of roof mainly 20th century. Cased purlins visible in first-floor rooms. Evidence of half-hip in left-hand end of roof. No smoke blackening inside in that part of the roof which was inspected.

Bannister, N. R. + Bannister, D. E., 1992, Historic Landscape Survey of the Molland Estate, South Molton, Devon: Volume II. The Buildings, 47-50 (Report - Survey). SDV343745.

Originally was a separate farm and included Kersdon, the valley to the north and also Williams Cottages. Other details: Photographs.

English Heritage, 2009, Historic Houses Register (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV343599.

Other details: LBS 398313.

Ordnance Survey, 2009, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV341569.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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