Description
Single pile, rectangular two storey farmhouse, single ridge roof with west gable and full hip to the east. The east end of the house is a single cell two-storey extension and is built over the mill leat. Three rear lean-to extensions added on, east one, one and a half storeys with roof to eaves level, centre and west singe storey. Three tall lateral stacks on rear wall of main house, east one internal, west two partially external. A large two storey partially attached outbuilding, hipped at both ends adjoins the west gable and is set at right angles to the main house.
Roofs of main house double roman tiles with plain ridge tiles. East rear lean-to slates, west half recently renewed with new flashing. Central lean-to asbestos slates, rooflight. West lean-to/ canopy slates, several slipped or broken.
Front wall rendered and limewashed with tar band. Small front porch with pentice roof, slated, square trellis between delicate slightly chamfered posts with run out stops. Large, low moulded doorframe. Door has solid bone-shaped brass knocker. Attractive small cobbled path to door set in radial and diamond patterns. Sides roughcast and limewashed over with tarband. Rear ( ground floor), east part rendered; centre, stone work to rear lobby; brickwork to rear passage, both limewashed over. First floor roughcast rendered, not limewashed.
The house has been altered and renovated several times, so that its origins are difficult to discover, but probably 16c/ 17c. The roof structure has been completely renewed, and no clues remain in the roof space. The three room cross-passage plan is probably original, as in so many of the surviving Bossington houses. The beams are varied in their decoration, so that again it does not help with dating the house. It was probably thatched, and on the 1812 Holnicote Estate map is shown with buildings to the rear, the present courtyard of Threshing Barn and Linhays went with 8 and 9 Bossington ( 115,008).
House heavily renovated c. 1800. The present front windows and shutters and the six panel doors date to this period. The western half of the front wall was probably rebuilt at this time after 18c neglect, it is 0.1m less wide than the eastern end.
The eastern extension, built over the mill leat, appears to be marked on the 1809-12 Holnicote Estate map. The farm is then known as 'Late Clares' (A1) and is recorded as 'house, outhouses, court and malthouses etc'. The Threshing Barn belonged to 8 and 9 Bossington ( C1), Robinsons, and the area of garden on the corner was another holding 'Glends, Pools Abingtons etc' - house outhouses and courtlage ( B1).
On the 1841 Porlock Tithe map the farm is no. 149, with buildings to the west and rear. 8 and 9 Bossington still held the Threshing Barn and Linhay ( 147) and buildings ( 145) survived on the corner in the present garden. The rear kitchen and dairy are marked on the rear of the house, the early 19c date accords well with the surviving window in bedroom T. By the time the 1876 Estate map was drawn the garden existed on the corner, and a range of buildings ran southeast from southwest end of the farmhouse. On the 1889 OS map, 1:2,500, the present form of the farm appears, with the yard, and other buildings much as they are today. The nearby farmhouse ( 8 and 9 Bossington) having been converted to cottages and were probably used for farm workers. The brick walled passage behind the stack in living room was added by the time this map was drawn.
Mid/ late 19c the rear passages on the landing were constructed, giving more privacy in the bedrooms. The fireplace in bedroom L was inserted. Thatched roof replaced by tiles ( tiles known to have been on the roof pers. comm. Mr D. Dyer, who visited in the second world war). 1920s/ 30s glazed tile fireplace in kitchen/living room inserted, probably blocking an open fireplace. In 1960 kingpost roof structure and east gable stack removed, present roof put on, concrete lintels added to first floor windows and eaves raised, ceilings lifted. Fireplace and corner flue removed from larder/ freezer room ( plans in Estate Office). 1991 front window casements renewed. Lintel from Blackford inserted over open fire in living room. Bathroom removed from airing room and door to stairs blocked, bathroom to be inserted in bedroom O ( plans in Estate Office).
Important Features:
External appearance.
Ground floor beams in living room B & D, hall.
Fireplaces, especially 1930's tiles fireplace in kitchen/ living room and an ornate 19c cast iron one in passage with mirror and overmantel.
Terra cotta tiled floors in hall, living room.
Doors, and moulded door and window openings, with shutters.
Reed and plaster partitions.
Exmoor slate flooring and shelves, cool larder and dairy/ office.
Cobbled path to front door.
In a generally good state of repair but floor over living room is sagging and would benefit from strengthening. Some evidence of rising damp on the ground floor. Rear ( west) lean-to roof has several slipped/ broken slates.
Outbuildings:
Farmhouse Tearoom/ Apple Loft, now store: Southeast part of a long two-storey range ( including Cider House) with fully hipped roof, ridge running at 90 degrees to the farmhouse. Opposite the west gable of the house another ridge angles up to meet the house rear pitch. The southeast hip eaves level is about 1 metre below the front ( southwest) eaves line.
Roof double roman tiles with roll-top ridge tiles. Collared ridge tiles on angle to house. Walls, southwest ( continuous with Cider House) mainly small roughly coursed waterworn stone neatly laid. Wood lintels over windows. South wall projects forward from house, stone as west wall but remains of earlier limewash. Rustic porch entrance with felted gabled roof and round timber posts with smaller struts ( Former tea room entrance).
The present building is possibly not shown on the 1841 Porlock Tithe Map although the farmhouse is shown as a longer building than it is. It is shown on the 1889 OS 1st edition 1:2,500 map ( Somerset sheet XXXIV.2). The 1876 Holnicote Estate map is indeterminate, with the outline of several buildings drawn but not coloured in, as the others were. The farmhouse is shown as L-shaped, whether this indicates this building is again not clear, the roof structure is not definitive, being used for at least 150 years. When farmhouse teas were served in the front garden by Mrs Morgan ( previous tenant) in the mid 20c the serving tables were set up under the 1940s porch attached to the southeast end of the building and the building itself was used for preparation of food. The porch was ruinous when the survey took place, it had been built of rustic trelliswork on round poles with a gabled felt roof. If the weather was wet the visitors' tables were put in the building and cream teas were served there. Important features: external appearance ( 19c), 19c wooden shutters, roof structure, apple shelves in loft, sheet of slate from water tank in yard ( late 19c). In a fair state of repair, some rain coming in between farmhouse and roof.
Cider House, now woodshed: Extended northwest from above as a fully hipped two storey continuation of the range, lean-to Stock House and Coal Shed on the northwest end. Roof of double roman tiles, roll-top ridge tiles, one not matching on the west hip. Short section of collared ridge tiles form a tilted link to the main house roof over Farmhouse Tearoom/ Apple Loft. Northwest and northeast walls random rubble stone, mainly water-worn and roughly coursed. Almost no soft sandstone. Larger quoins nicely squared off. Segmental stone arch over ground floor window. Southwest wall as above but two segmental stone arches over door and window opening with larger keystone and springers. On the 1841 Porlock Tithe map a building is shown in the position of the present building although apparently smaller and detached from the main farmhouse. No building appears to be shown in this position on the 1876 Holnicote Estate map. The 1889 OS 1:2,500 first edition ( Somerset sheet XXXIV.2) shows the building in its present situation. Important features: external appearance, segmental stone arches, wooden shutters, cobbled floor, roof structure. In a satisfactory state of repair.
Stockhouse for small animals such as calves/ Coal Shed, now Coalshed: Lean-to single storey extension to Cider House abutting just below eaves level, walls continuous with above suggesting both cells were built at the same time. Roof double roman tiles over walls of rubble stone. Does not appear to be shown on 1876 Holnicote Estate Map, but is shown on 1889 OS 1:2,500 first edition Somerset sheet XXXIV.2. Important features: external appearance as part of Cider House, cobbled floor. In a good state of repair.
Pigsty/ Privy, now chicken house: Single storey gable ended rectangular building forming north side of rear houseyard. Roof corrugated asbestos, barge boards. Ridge, felt nailed down. Walls rubble stone, mainly water worn but smallish. Segmental stone arches over openings on yard side. Southwest end has two low holes for shovelling out nightsoil. Built as pigsty and privy, does not appear to be shown on the 1876 Holnicote Estate map, but is shown on the 1889 OS 1:2,500 map, first edition, Somerset sheet XXXIV.2. Mid 20c, internal partitions removed, used as chicken house. Important features: external appearance, part of the essential 19c provision for the farm. In a rather poor state of repair.
Privy, Wash House, now stores: Rectangular single storey gable- ended two cell building, southeast facing into yard at rear of farmhouse, set immediately northeast of Pigsty/ Privy. Roof double roman tiles with matching ridge and two clay mushroom- shaped ventilator pots. Walls, front and side brick with flue in west corner. Rear is stone of yard wall. Not shown on the 1876 Holnicote Estate map, but shown on the 1889 OS 1:2,500 scale first edition, Somerset sheet XXXIV.2. Important feature: surviving set pan copper with wooden lid. In a good state of repair.
Probable Trap House or Gig House, now garage/ store/ workshop: Single storey gable-ended with northeast wall of Granary shared, ridge lower than that of Granary. Double roman tiles with roll-top ridge tiles, some black glazed. Rubble stone walls, waterworn, largish and roughly coursed, some squared off. Segmental stone arches over openings with keystone and large springers as Farmhouse Tearoom and Cider House, although constructed differently. A building is shown in this approximate location on the 1841 Porlock Tithe map, but no building is shown on the 1876 Holnicote Estate map. The first definite identification is on the 1889 first edition 1:2,500 scale OS map Somerset sheet XXXIV.2. Important features: external appearance and group value, large segmental stone arch over double doors, cobbled floor. In a good state of repair.
Granary over stock or cart linhay, now dog house and store: Three bay granary over open fronted cart linhay. Gable-ended roof, external steps to granary on southwest end. Roof triple-V tiles with collared ridge. Very uneven line of southeast eaves, one tile missing from west end. Rear lean-to roof comes in two- thirds of the way down with pitch sloping northwest. Bargeboards. Walls rubble stone, smallish, southeast quoins brick above ground floor, also on rear, arranged 2 x 2. North wall very crude mortar infill suggesting it has always been covered by the lean-to. Front wall of loft weatherboarded above two square posts, supporting beams and wall plate, which is very distorted. Probably built as an open fronted cart linhay, with probable Trap House. Raised to one and a half storeys with a granary loft in the late 19c, perhaps when the buildings in the orchard went. A building is shown in this approximate location on the 1841 Porlock Tithe map, but no building is shown on the 1876 Holnicote Estate map. The first definite identification is on the 1889 first edition 1:2,500 scale OS map Somerset sheet XXXIV.2. Important features: open frontage with posts and beams, boarded above; external steps to loft; roof structure. In a generally good state of repair, uneven eaves line suggests possible structural weakness.
Cartshed/ Machinery Store, now lean-to garage: Dilapidated lean- to on back of Trap House and Granary. Roof triple-V tiles at slighter pitch than granary roof. Walls: northwest, weatherboards, some rotting and missing; northeast: rubble stone; southeast: rear wall of granary; southwest: large opening, weatherboards at north end, some missing. Not shown on the OS first edition 1:2,500 scale, Somerset sheet XXXIV.2, but shown on the 1903 second edition. In a very poor state of repair and insecure.
Cowshed, now disused: Single storey gable-ended building butting onto the east side of the adjoining linhay and forming part of the entrance to the yard. Roof double roman tiles with matching ridge. Walls rubble stone, very varied mixture of local stones including soft red sandstone, rhaetic and liassic limestone, probably from the local outcrops. Much waterworn and very roughly coursed, larger square blocks in quoins. Segmental sone arches with larger keystone over openings as elsewhere. Slate sills. This building does not appear to be shown on the 1876 Holnicote Estate map, but is shown on the 1889 OS first edition 1:2,500 scale, ( Somerset sheet XXXIV.2). It appears to be part of the farm rationalisation which occurs elsewhere on the Holnicote Estate during this period, this was common on farms throughout the county in the mid to late 19c until the great agricultural slump in the 1890's. Mid 20c, upgraded to comply with T.T. standards. In the late 20c the partitions were removed. Important features: external appearance, kingpost roof structure. In a good state of repair.
Linhay: One and a half storeys, L-shaped with Threshing Barn adjoining on south end and Cowshed butting onto east wall. South and east facing into yard with four bays along northwest side of yard, two bays on southwest. Roof double roman tiles with roll- topped ridge tiles. The front pitch of the west leg is continuous with that of the barn, but the ridge is lower and continuous along the L-shape with lead guttering down the valley. The eaves of the west side are slightly lower ( with one extra row of tiles) than main run. Northeast end and rear walls rubble stone, fairy random and large. Pitching door in rear ( northwest) wall. Front, square wood posts, with beams supporting loft tenoned through, set on concrete block plinths. Concrete block section of front infill near east end, angled back in west corner. Weatherboarding along front of southwest box. 17c/ 18c, this building, along with the adjoining barn, which is clearly an earlier building, appears to be shown on the 1809 Holnicote Estate map ( parcels A.2 and C.1). It is also shown on the 1841 Porlock Tithe Map and more precisely on the 1889 OS map 1:2,500 scale first edition ( Somerset sheet XXXIV.2). Important features: open front with tall notched posts and hay loft over, scissor truss roof construction. In a fair state of repair - loft appears to lack structural strength.
Threshing Barn, now corn store: A long rectangular single cell building set southwest-northeast with opposed pair of threshing doors, no cheeks. Single ridge gable-ended roof. Linhay, with lower ridge butts onto northeast end, single storey late 19c Stock Linhay encloses the southwest end and south corner. Roof of double roman tiles with matching ridge. East pitch continuous with that of linhay but ridge higher. Northeast wall ( yard) rubble stone, larger in quoins and jambs, mainly quarried, slight batter to base. Left jamb somewhat patched with some brick, concrete step and wooden threshold on brick/ stone. Southwest wall, rubble stone appears to be mostly waterworn, southern half heavily mortared over, crack down near door jamb. Small window/ pitching door near south end. West end shows remains of building removed ( former engine house). Brick jambs to sloping opening to loft, bricks in jamb to ground floor opening to loft, bricks in jamb to ground for belt. To the north of this the mortar is missing for 1.5m and needs repointing. Northwest, former half hip, now weatherboarded to apex. Southeast, lean-to ( part of Stock Linhay used by 8 Bossington), small half-hip, weatherboarded with ventilation slit immediately above lean-to roof. Small close stonework.
No documentary evidence available, but remaining wall posts of jointed cruck suggest an early date, 16c/ 17c. Possibly contemporary with the house. Early 19c, appears to be shown on the 1809 Holnicote Estate Map ( parcels A.2 and C.1) along with the adjoining Linhay. It is also shown on the 1841 Porlock Tithe Map. Shown as at present on the 1889 OS first edition 1:2,500 scale OS map ( Somerset sheet XXXIV.2). In the 20c the present roof was added. Important features: this is one of the earliest farm buildings surviving on the Estate, external appearance, threshing doors, remains of original jointed cruck construction, existing scissor-frame roof structure. In a good state of repair.
Stock Linhay: Single storey range of boxes with low ridge, roof joining onto west pitch of northeast linhay and butting onto south corner of the barn. West end continuing along southeast wall of barn as lean-to with single pitch roof. Roof double roman tiles with roll-top ridge tiles, mostly red but a few black glazed. Walls, northwest: "hit and miss" planks, west end weatherboarding and below butt boarding on concrete; southeast: rubble stone; northeast: east linhay wall; southwest: barn and short length of lean-to on southeast end of barn. Not shown on the 1876 Holnicote Estate map, but is shown on the 1889 OS 1:2,500 scale first edition ( Somerset sheet XXXIV.2). Contemporary with the Selworthy Farm linhays. Important features: external appearance, group value forming south side of yard, roof structure, cobbled floor. In a good state of repair.
Stock House, now stable/ bullock house: Single storey range with box at northwest end opening to drive, and open front facing onto yard, ridge higher than south range. Roof double roman with roll- top ridge tiles, mostly black glazed, two flat vent tiles nearer north end, two mushroom-shaped vents towards south. Walls quite large waterworn stone, larger ones squared off for quoins, much mortar randomly applied. Two front posts are cut from telegraph poles. Built between 1876 and 1889. Important features: external appearance, group value - forms east part of yard, roof structure, remaining part of slate water tank in yard. In a good state of repair.
Stable: Northwest cell on end of Stock House. Roof double roman tiles and roll-top ridge tiles. Walls as above but segmental arch over door with keystone and springers. Built between 1876 and 1889. Important features: external appearance, group value as part of yard, segmental stone arch over door with keystone and springers, cobbled floor. In a good state of repair.
Store ( used by No. 8 Bossington): Visually part of the rear of Stock Linhay with continuous eaves, entrance on south side. Roof double roman tiles lean-to against gable end wall of barn. Walls rubble stone roughly coursed, larger squared off stones at quoins. Apparently not shown on the 1876 Holnicote Estate map but shown on the 1889 OS first edition 1:2,500 ( Somerset sheet XXXIV.2). Important features: external appearance. In a good state of repair.
Barn/ Covered Yard ( part used by Mr. A Morgan of 4 Bossington ( 115,003)): Large six bay prefabricated building with three narrow and one wide aisles. Shallow single pitch corrugated asbestos roof to east, steep short corrugated iron pitch to west. Walls, east: breeze block to within 0.5m of eaves; south: ( west end) corrugated iron to roof with corrugated iron lean-to attached, ( east end) corrugated asbestos to roof with lower corrugated iron lean-to attached to Cartshed/ Machinery Store; west: open; north: ( west end) corrugated asbestos, ( east end) breeze block infill. 1960's/ early 1970's, shown on the 1973 OS 1:2,500 map ( SS 8848-8948). In a good state of repair.
Dutch Barn: Seven bay Dutch Barn in two sections under continuous ridge. Roof of corrugated asbestos. Walls, east and east half of north - "hit and miss" vertical boards, west and west half of north - Yorkshire boarding; south - open. Late 1970's/ 1980's, not shown on the 1974 OS 1:2,500 map ( SS 8847- 8947). Important features: roof construction. In a very good state of repair.
Covered Yard: Very large modern rectangular building with five bays and four aisles. Roof shallow pitch corrugated asbestos, much longer to north (rear). Three UPVC clear panels in 3rd aisle from front. Walls, south (front): open; east and west (sides): Yorkshire boarding; north (rear): breezeblock then 1.0 metres of Yorkshire boarding to eaves. 1960's/ early 1970's, shown on 1974 OS 1:2,500 scale map ( SS 8847-847). In a good state of repair - although some doors in poor condition. [1]
Surveyed in 2001; The farmstead is set in the heart of the village, the farmhouse facing south across gardens which were the outbuildings of another farm (115173). The land is all in the Vale of Porlock and runs from behind the beach towards Porlock and south to Bossington lane. It is very productive land and in mid 20c the malting barley grown won world prizes. The farmhouse is a large 17c cross-passage house, re-roofed, with an extension on the east end. The threshing barn has also been re-roofed but remnants of jointed cruck construction make it one of the oldest on the Estate, with Horner (115208) and the Holnicote Estate Yard (115215). The apple loft (mid 19c) and cider house, the granary, and the linhays around the main yard, with the barn, are the most important buildings in the complex. Sixteen buildings are listed in the Vernacular Building Survey report [Source 1]. The farm is the result of a combination of farms in the area over time, and is now the only one in Bossington. The field names for the 19c and 20c were recorded by Mr and Mrs C Carson in 2000, and are in the Estate Office. [2]
An archaeological survey of the farm was conducted in 2007, providing a history and development of the farm over time. [3]