Description
Two storey three cell house, cross-passage now included in north room. Both front and rear walls curve slightly outwards. Roof single ridge, gable-ended with one raked dormer in each pitch. Front lateral external stack with oven on north side, the latter extended up to eaves level, possibly housed spiral stair over oven. Roof continues down over it. Internal stack on northeast corner. Front cross-passage doorway blocked, modern window inserted. North wall now gabled, shows earlier lower roof-line and half-hip. South wall with pentice porch roof over door, external axial stack starting 2m above ground level, former hip indicated by line of tiles, gable infilled.
Rear nearly covered by four lean-tos, with porch and external lavatory lean-to on north ones. Extreme north end of back wall still visible, curved and slightly bulging. Roofs of lean-tos spring just below eaves, except central part which respects sill of dormer.
Single-storey outbuilding at right angles to mid/north end of rear, its double pitch roof continued over north lean-to roof, forming a covered entrance to the garden and porch to the back door. (20c). Irregular fenestration.
Roof of double roman tiles. Walls random rubble stone, mainly waterworn boulders, some large especially in quoins. On south ( end) elevation a row of pitched double roman tiles indicates line of former hip, the gable is rendered and whitewashed above them. North ( end) elevation stonework shows evidence of the former more steeply pitched roof, and the earlier half-hip is infilled with horizontal boards.
The rear extensions are of random rubble stone except the northern lean-to which is of cavity brickwork.
Of the medieval roof two jointed cruck trusses survive, smoke- blackened only on the hall side, ie south side of third truss and north side of fourth truss ( trusses numbered from north). Blades of heavy timbers, 0.26 x 0.16m, mortised and tenoned at apex with one peg. Collars 0.11 x 0.20m both cranked, jointed in same way. Square ridge, set on edge in notch in top ( rear) blade, smoke- blackened between trusses. Purlins replaced, were large and trenched into backs of blades. One smoke-blackened rafter survives, reused as purlin clean.
Both hall trusses have been damaged by wet and beetle attack, probably the other medieval trusses have been replaced because of decay. North (3rd) truss with west blade strengthened by bolted metal support. South (4th) truss with secondary A-frame similar to north trusses set against its south side, visible over the stairs where both blades show ( 19c/20c).
The partition below the collar of the north hall truss is lime plaster on reeds, it does not now come above the soffit of the collar but did originally, leaving only the top part of the truss blackened. The south hall truss has yellow daub with hair in it on laths on both sides, now only below collar level. Partition uprights are nailed to the trusses. It is not clear whether the daub or the lime plaster on reeds was in medieval use, it seems likely that it was the former. There are carpenter's marks on the blades.
Late 15c three cell cross-passage house with the hall ( kitchen) extending up to the roof, heated by an open hearth fire. The two surviving jointed crucks are only smoke-blackened on their hall sides, suggesting this was the only heated room. The inner room ( dining room & entrance hall) was unheated, with a fully hipped roof, it may have had a loft floor but this seems unlikely, its beam is square and late.
The front two thirds of the cross-passage is now incorporated in the living room, the lower room, but the back part survives. The position of its south partition and the north jointed cruck suggests that the north end of the house was ceiled, and jettied over the north end of the hall. The curved and irregular shape of the northwest corner, both inside and out, and the small high window, suggest a possible internal stair turret in that corner, giving access to first floor rooms.
In the late 16c fireplace and oven built on front of hall, possibly with spiral stairs going up over the oven to the inserted floor chamber. The lower end may not have been ceiled at the same time as the hall, the front window suggests a 17c date.
On the 1809-1812 Holnicote Estate Survey the cottage seems to belong to Bidgoods, and is therefore not marked. It possibly was already divided into two cottages. On the 1841 Porlock Tithe map cottage is shown as divided ( 126 and 127), with an outbuilding on the south end and another freestanding at the rear. The south rear lean-to had been added. The cross-passage and lower room were one cottage, with the hall and parlour ( dining room, entrance hall and kitchen) forming the other. On the 1876 Holnicote Estate map the south outbuilding has gone, and the little row of outbuildings appears to have been built. On the 1889 OS map ( Somerset sheet XXXIV.2) the house is still divided into two, but immediately south of the front stack, so the southern part was the smaller. It was in the 19c that the present stars were inserted, with winders round the newel at the base. Another staircase against the rear wall in living room ( lower room) served the northern cottage.
Recorded on the 1929 OS 2nd edition revised 1:2,500 map as two cottages, by the late 1960s the building was used as a single dwelling ( plans by R.J. Swaine, 1969, in Holnicote Estate Office plan chest). The north staircase was removed. Between 1990-1991 the central lean-to on the rear was added and the outbuilding roof extended to form a covered entrance to the back door. The bathroom was moved from rear living room ( southern half) to the north end of the first floor, and the house was as recorded.
Important Features:
External appearance with external front stack and oven.
Plan form with massive medieval walls.
Smoke-blackened roof timbers indicating open-hall house.
Original 16/ early 17c beams.
Large open fireplace with oven in kitchen.
An early mullioned window (17c).
Early 19c windows and fixtures.
In a very good state of repair, many refinements carried out by present tenants. Front windows of living room should have either leaded panes or wooden casements.
Outbuildings:
Lavatory, Store and Garden Shed: Small three cell single storey block, roof extended at east end to give covered access from drive to back door. Roof of double roman tiles with matching ridge over walls of rubble stone. Apparently shown on the 1876 Holnicote Estate Map, and definitely on the 1889 OS Somerset sheet XXXIV.2, Scale 1:2,500. Probably built to serve both cottages. Important features: external appearance. In a good state of repair. [1]
The hosue was recorded as part of the Holnicote Estate Survey in 2001 and is described as: 'a three room cross passage late medieval hall house with smoke blackened jointed crucks over the hall area. Roof now tiled, walls local rubble stone, with external front stack added to the hall, lateral bake oven. Internal stack with round upper in the north corner and a small external stack on the south eastern gable wall at first floor level only. The walls are very thick. Confirming the medieval dating. The two northern trusses are A-frame, the south truss is even later and softwood. Rear lean-tos are single storey. An ovolo moulded mullion window survives on the first floor, front elevation.' [2]