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Summary

Farmhouse and agricultural buildings in a courtyard group. Circa 1500 with 17th-, 18th and 19th century alterations. Originally an open hall. The house is notable among late-medieval houses in the area because of its extra lower room.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1213328: BREMLEY FARMHOUSE AND ADJOINING OUTBUILDINGS

Other References/Statuses

• Old Listed Building Ref (II): 397875

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• FARMHOUSE (XV to XIX - 1450 AD to 1900 AD (Between))

Full description

Morgan, D., 1996, Proposed Alterations to Bremley Farm, Molland (Correspondence). SDV347036.

The service stair in the room 'below' the service room may be a 19th century insertion, but quite probably replaces an earlier feature. Similarly, the possibly 19th century stud partition between the 'inner' room and the hall probably replaces an earlier dividing wall on this alignment (and could retain earlier fabric within it).
Part of the charm of this group of buildings is the close relationship between the domestic house, the service wing and the agricultural functions of the courtyard range (linhay and cider house).

English Heritage, 2011, Historic Houses Register (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV346128.

Bremley Farmhouse and adjoining outbuildings.
Farmhouse. Circa 1500, altered in the early to mid-17th century, with 18th century and late 18th century early 19th century additions, and minor mid-to late 19th century alterations and additions. Rendered, probably over stone rubble and cob; early 18th century addition in partly rendered cob over stone rubble. Later 18th century and early 19th century additions mainly of coursed rubble under some cob. Gable-ended scantle-slate roof, hipped slate roof over addition to rear and corrugated-asbestos monopitch roof over outbuilding. Stone square lateral and end stacks with weatherings, 2 rendered.
Plan and development: 4 room and through-passage plan, facing south. Ground falls to left. Late-Medieval open hall consisting of hall with inner room (present kitchen) to right and through passage (probably altered in the late 19th century) to left with service room beyond, and second service room to far left. Formerly open to the roof, continuously from end to end, with rooms probably divided by low partitions.
The extra lower room is unusual in a Medieval farmhouse in Devon. It appears to have been part of the original plan (see smoke-blackened roof above), although it might have been extended at a later date. 17th century alterations included the insertion of the first floor, and the addition of external stacks to the rear of the hall and first service room, external end stack-to the lower service room, and integral end stack (possibly later than the 17th century) to the inner room, since truncated (see straight joints in gable end). Other 17th century alterations probably included the insertion of the staircase in the cross passage (the present stair appears to be 19th century) and the raising of the eaves. Probably early 18th century wing added to rear of lower service room and dairy wing added at rear of inner room, probably in the mid-to late 18th century. Late 18th century or early 19th century outbuildings (probably altered in the late 19th century) between the ends of the two rear wings forming a service courtyard. Small lean-to addition in north-west angle of lower service room and rear wing. 2 storeys, with additions of 1-storey and 1-storey and attic (dairy wing).
Exterior: Approximately symmetrical front with 5 first-floor windows, 20th century 2-light wooden casements, and 3 ground floor windows, late 19th century 2-and 3-light small-paned wooden casements. Former cross passage doorway to centre has 19th century 6-panelled door (2 upper panels glazed) with chamfered wooden frame and 20th century gabled lattice wooden porch.
Twentieth century boarded door to far right with 4 glazed panels to top. Rear stacks with chamfered offsets. Wing at rear of left hand end with boarded door to rear and boarded door to lean-to in angle to west. Dairy wing with 18th century first-floor leaded wooden casement. Wing enclosing courtyard to rear has 2-light window with wrought-iron bars in east end and 2-light leaded wooden casement in west end.
Interior: Remodelled in the mid-to late 19th century. Hall with spine beam and blocked large old fireplace to rear. 1-shaped bench along front wall only. Former servants' bells. Four old boarded doors off hall. Former service room to left has large old fireplace to rear with tiled reveals and front window with jambs continuing to floor level.
Entrance hall with 19th century tiled floor and staircase with 19th century balustrade. Nineteenth century four-panelled doors throughout.
5-bay roof with substantial remains of late-Medieval smoke-blackened construction including trusses at upper and lower ends of hall, probably jointed crucks (see line of trusses on walls in bedroom over hall), each with cambered collar and mortice and tenoned apex. Left-hand hall truss with unblackened plaster in roof space up to collar - level on lower side (probably revealed due to later lowering of the
ceiling). Truss at right hand end of hall with evidence of former wattle and daub panel (see on top of collar and stove holes in underside of each blade). Truss between service room and lower service room probably replaces a Medieval truss (see smoke blackened ridge-piece above). Blackened hip cruck at right-hand end. Trenched purlins, still in situ over hall (only the top pair of purlins visible in roofspace).
Diagonally-set blackened ridge piece, in situ over hall and inner room and over service end, sawn off over central bay. Pegged scarf joint in ridge piece to left of truss at lower end of service room but that section formerly over the lower service room has been sawn off. Some smoke-blackened rafters in left-hand bay. Late-20th century roof structure over old roof.
This house is notable among late-Medieval houses in the area because of its extra lower room.

Ordnance Survey, 2011, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV346129.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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