Description
This is an early manorial site and the house is probably contemporary with the chapel which forms part of the farm complex. It is essentially a late medieval three room open hall house of jointed cruck construction. There is evidence of smoke blackening on three trusses, with small areas of early lime plaster surviving.
Three cell cross passage house with single ridge gable ended roof and lean-to, and extension on north end, with a further lean-to extension enclosing the stair turret on the rear to the north and a two storey extension also on the rear to the south. Raked dormer in rear pitch of roof. Three stacks have been added, two are axial on each gable, and a third is central lateral at the front. The two storey rear lean-to also has a stack. The stair turret to the rear is corbelled out at first floor level on the south side, with a niche in the bottom half having a wood lintel. Small window with cusped head, now blocked with wood. There is a cobbled semicircle in front of both doors. To the front, render and limewash with tar band at the base. To the rear mainly roughly coursed rubblestone, but a central section rendered as at the front.
The lean-to on the northern end is constructed with waterworn boulders, mainly split and laid randomly in lime mortar, and fairly characteristic of the area. The south two storey extension has a north wall of brick and appears built on to earlier extension of stone with brick quoins to the southwest and with a brick flue from a boiler, square brick upper with oversailing course and a single pot. Stonework used is similar to the north rear extension. Most lintels are of wood and sills of concrete. There is brick infill up to the porch roof ( which provides access to scullery), and a brick flue on the north side of the scullery for the set pan copper.
Main roof "triple V" Bridgewater brown tiles with a collared main ridge.
During the 16c/ early 17c stacks built axially on east wall and into thickened north wall with evidence of adjoining stair turret. Stair turret also added to rear adjoining cross passage. Large chamfered beams inserted and hall ceiled over. Second floor attic, door and stairway added. Exceptionally wide boarded partitions and floors probably date from this time, as does the front door and adjoining mullioned window. Some wattle and daub infill provided between trusses above first floor ceiling level. Major remodelling appears to have occurred in the early 19c with casement windows and panelling and four panelled doors added, including the second front door and main staircase.
The partition between the dining room and the back hall was built in the mid/ late 19c and single storey extension added to north which appears to incorporate an earlier outbuilding attached to the main house because of the extreme wall thickness. Scullery added to NW corner with set pan copper added.
The bathroom and outside toilet/ washroom provided on first floor and to rear respectively were inserted in the early/ mid 20c.
In the 1980s the formerly blocked open fireplaces re-opened; two cast iron fireplaces removed and placed in store.
Important Features:
Roof: three medieval smoke blackened jointed cruck trusses.
Ceilings: massive chamfered beams in ground floor living room, front hall and dining room. Reed ceilings on first floor.
Partitions: plank and muntin screen partly exposed in kitchen. Early panelling, including walnut, on first floor.
Fireplaces: two large open fireplaces on ground floor with oven and seat in kitchen.
Doors: massive 15c/ 16c front door in chamfered and pegged round headed frame. 17c/18c door to second floor storeroom with early thumb latch and wrought iron hinges.
Windows: casement windows mainly to frontage ( early 19c) several lined with moulded surround and unusual curving top to each light ( trefoil pattern). Three light transomed and mulioned 16c window on frontage with four centred top arches and carved ball and leaf decoration in spandrels.
Stairs: narrow spiral stair turret linking back hall to back landing.
In a generally good state of repair.
Outbuildings:
Store/ Cartshed: Rectangular one storey single cell gable ended building open to the east. South wall continues along north side of the yard, and angles back to stockhouse. Corrugated iron roof over mainly random rubble stone. The south wall is much older and faces onto the yard. It is very irregular and there appears to be a blocked doorway. A recess in this wall to the west of the building is evidence of an earlier building about three metres in height within the yard. Probably built between 1876-1889 with small square building on south side. In a good state of repair, but ivy is encroaching. Crack in north wall.
Privy, now disused: Small rectangular lean-to on west end of Store/ Cartshed and north of yard wall. Erratic shape, with hatch to yard. Single pitch roof of corrugated iron over well built waterstone rubble walls. Built between 1889 and 1903. In a poor state of repair, corrugated iron roof considerably decayed, affecting quoin.
Old Granary/ Pigsty/Stockhouse, unused at time of survey: Rectangular and gable ended, single cell of one and a half storeys. Northeast corner rounded. Set on north-south axis, west of farmhouse. Roof of triple "V" tiles with collared ridge. Walls stonework throughout, mainly local waterworn, but the north doorway jambs are at least 50 percent lias. The rounded corner is tending to crack away. Front wall has a break at south end where a lean-to was built on at a later date, its walls were subsequently raised to the present eaves height and it was included in the building. The top part of the north gable wall is possibly added, suggesting a former hipped thatched roof. The west wall is very erratic. The eaves have been raised ( as east wall) and the line of the lean-to is also very clear. There is a blocked low door or window with a decayed lintel below a mullioned window. Four very small triangular vents ingeniously made, each with three individual stones, are situated towards the north end. Possibly built as a detached kitchen for the original house, with an internal stack on the rear wall where there are now irregular bumps and changes in thickness. The remaining piece of timber in the loft rear wall suggests jointed cruck construction. 16c/17c. Important features: wall construction, early beams and evidence of early trusses, 16/17c mullion windows and triangular wall vents. In a generally good state but early features, especially openings, need restoration.
Lean-to at rear of above: Lean-to on northwest end of above with continuous roof at slighter pitch than that of main building. Roof of triple "V" tiles. A building is marked on this site on the 1889 OS Somerset sheet XXXIV.2 but not on the 1876 Holnicote Estate Map. In a good state of repair.
Lean-to Store: Two cell, lean-to attached to north wall of Old Granary/ Pigsty. Corrugated iron roof. Rebuilt mid 20th century to its present form. Important feature: cobbled floor. In a good state of repair.
Old Granary/ Feedstore, now aviary: Rectangular one and a half storeys, aligned east to west, gable ended with a single ridge roof. Roof line angled on northwest corner. Raking dormer over door in south wall. External steps on west end. Double roman tile roof. Late 19c rebuild on earlier building, lower section ( to top of ground floor) of west, south and part of east walls is of small roughly coursed stone with larger stone in quoins. Remainder is of large irregular sandstone blocks, some badly weathered, mainly because the mortar is too hard. South wall very uneven and bulging. Shown as a smaller building on the 1809/12 Holnicote Estate map, the south and east walls probably remain from this 17c/18c building. Rebuilt in its present form between 1876-1889 on the older walls, with the west external steps added at the same time. Used as a granary and feed store, the large ground floor beam was used to carry weight. The northwest corner of the roof was probably angled when the lean-to on the south end of Old Granary/ Pigsty was built up to two storeys. Important features: external appearance, beam supporting loft floor, window in east wall. In a good state of repair, tiles need replacing on northwest corner, a barge board set against them may prevent the wind flipping them off.
West Linhay, now stable: Single storey linhay forming west side of southwest yard of farmbuildings. Roof of roman tiles with matching ridge tiles, over walls of roughly squared off stone. Built between 1876 and 1889, around the same period as the Selworthy Farm linhays, their construction is very similar. Important features: external appearance as stock linhay, roof construction and mangers. In a good state of repair.
South Linhay, now stable: Very similar and at right angles to West Linhay, with continuous south wall, but single pitch roof. Double roman tile roof with matching ridge tiles over walls of roughly squared off stone. Built between 1876 and 1889. Important features: external appearance as a stock linhay, roof construction and managers. In a good state of repair.
South Lean-to on South Linhay, now store: Open sided modern timber lean-to attached to rear ( south) wall of South Linhay. Corrugated iron roof. Erected in the late 20c on the site of an earlier building shown on the 1903 OS Somerset sheet XXXIV.2. Important feature: cobbled floor. In a good state of repair.
West Lean-to on West Linhay, now store: Lean-to attached to west side of West Linhay, with catslide roof raised over West Linhay in order to maintain a continuously straight pitch over both buildings. Building shown on 1889 OS Somerset sheet XXXIV.2., possibly at the same time as linhay, or very soon after. In the 20c the roof raised by raising west pitch of linhay and supporting blades on brick piers set on west wall of West Linhay, rounded ridge tiles used probably because slighter pitch did not allow use of double roman ridge. Important feature: external appearance. In a good state of repair.
Pigsty, now store: Lean-to attached to north-west side of West Linhay, with double roman tile catslide roof. Walls of random waterworn stonework. Built between 1876 and 1889. Important features: external appearance with paired doors and cobbled floor. In a good state of repair.
Stockhouse on Threshing Barn, now toilets for use of visiting public: One of four buildings under a common single pitch roof attached to the eastern side of the barn. Roof of double roman tiles over rubble stone walls. Part of the provision of further buildings on the farm during the time of Sir Thomas Dyke Acland ( 11th baronet) between 1876 and 1889. Converted into toilets in the 1980s. In a good state of repair.
Wagon Shed on Threshing Barn: Part of the former barn complex and probably used to house small farm wagons. Contiguous with the lean-to above, with open front, a large north opening and loft. Double roman tile roof over rubble stone rubble walls. Built between 1876 and 1889 as part of the late 19c provision for the farm. Between 1929 and 1970 it is shown on OS maps extending as far as the Chapel, if this was so, then part of the building has been removed since 1970. Important features: external appearance, manger and hayracks. In a satisfactory state of repair.
Privy, now disused: Small privy at end of vegetable garden, single pitch. Corrugated iron roof over walls of coursed green stone. Built between 1876 and 1889. Important feature: external appearance. In a poor state of repair.
Stock/ Feed/ Hay/ Straw Shed, now hay store: Lean-to with roof sloping down to east, partly built on east end of Large Linhay, and on north end of Small Linhay, with Gig/ Cart Shed on north side. Tile roof over rubble stone walls. Added to the farm complex with the west and south linhays and other buildings by Sir Thomas Dyke Acland between 1876 and 1889. Important feature: external appearance. In a good state of repair.
Stones in Front Garden: Three stones, boulder set in path in front of farmhouse, small square trough near front door and small hemispherical stone bowl on front lawn.
Large Linhay, now storage and animal shelter; Small Linhay and Gig/ Cart Shed (now garage) : See separate record MNA181997. Grade II listed.
Chapel: see separate record MNA181998. Grade II listed.
Roundhouse and Threshing Barn: see separate record MNA181999. Grade II listed. [1]
This is one of the late medieval houses on the Estate, a former manor house, set in Lynch hamlet with a chapel and an excellent set of vernacular farm buildings. The smoke-blackening on the jointed cruck roof timbers is only over the hall and cross-passage suggesting the inner room (parlour) and lower room were possibly ceiled. This is very likely as there are spiral stairs in the southwest and northwest corners, suggesting that when chimneys were built the hall remained open to the roof for a while. A rear stair turret was added to the hall eventually, this is still in use. Part of a plank and muntin screen remains in the lower partition of the cross-passage. The latter has been truncated and part taken into the lower room in the 19c, the rest of the passage pushed into the hall. The original door and doorway survive, and a truncated hall window which is decorated and has been reused to light the lower room. Further alterations, including insertion of stairs, date to c.1800. The outbuildings are remarkable, a threshing barn and roundhouse, all thatched, one and half storey linhay range, also thatched, and single storey linhay backing onto the road. Behind the house is a detached medieval kitchen, with many alterations and additions, but with a heavy mullion window in the west wall with no glazing rebates. The Chapel [MNA181998] is early 16c, and was given back to the Church of England by the Aclands after renovations – it had been used as a barn – in the 19c. It is still used for services. [2]