Description

MANATON
SX 78 SW
4/4 Former longhouse at Canna
-
GV
II

Former longhouse now used as barn. Probably C16 with alterations circa late C17
and further considerable changes when house degenerated to farm building, probably
C18/C19.
Granite rubble walls with rough quoins; at the front the walls have been built up
slightly under the eaves with cob. Corrugated iron roof half-hipped at either end.
Originally followed longhouse plan of shippon at lower end with adjoining through
passage then small hall with fireplace backing onto passage and very small inner
room. In circa late C17 the shippon was converted into domestic accommodation of a
relatively high standard judging from the chamfered and stopped beams and joists
which survive here. The room arrangement has since changed further; the passage
was widened and a stone wall built up so that it now takes up part of the former
shippon. The hall and inner room have both lost their ceilings and the partition
between them has also disappeared. The evidence for the existence of an inner
room is in the ledge part way up the gable end wall with 2 large stone projecting
at intervals along it which were presumably to carry beams which would be running
at right angles to the cross beam in the hall. Rear doorway of through passage has
been blocked.
Formerly 2 storeys, now partially single-storeyed. On front is central probably
original wide doorway to passage with rough hewn granite lintel. Narrower doorway
to original shippon at left with loading doorway above. Both ground floor doors
are C19/C20 plank. To right of centre is inserted double doorway with timber
lintel. 2 small window openings to far right on ground and first floor. To rear
face is wide inserted opening at right of centre on ground floor with large roughly
squared granite lintel. Small opening above and larger first floor opening to
left. To right of doorway is blocked ventilation slit to shippon with granite
framing. Remains of single storey cattle shelter with upright granite posts
towards left end of building. At the front of the upper end a later linhay is
attached to the house projecting from it at right angles.
Interior : much altered but some early features remain and former plan form is
discernable. Axial granite framed fireplace to hall with large granite lintel and
monolithic jambs all roughly chamfered, stops worn away. Granite relieving arch
above lintel, which has now cracked. Blocked oven opening at left hand side with
arched granite framed opening. Bulge in wall to left of fireplace, presumably to
accommodate oven. Stone wall beside fireplace extending to rear wall of hall with
blocked doorway to passage which has slightly cambered wooden lintel and jamb of
dressed granite blocks to the right. 1 cross beam in hall possibly re-used since
it comes only slightly in front of the fireplace and does not fully span the width
of the room. It is chamfered on both sides, the stops indiscernable, and has
mortices for joists on both sides. There are 2 blocked openings on the rear wall,
the one to the left shows 2 stages of blocking with 2 wooden lintels one above the
other. The blocked opening to the right also has a wooden lintel. In the upper
left hand corner of the former inner room, extending up to the height of the shelf
from ground level is a small square stone projection. In the former through
passage the chimney back is constructed of granite ashlar blocks. There are 2
cross beams and a half beam which is at the back of the chimney wall, is chamfered
but cut off before it reaches the front wall. The central cross beam is chamfered
with very worn stops. The beam at the lower end is now embedded in a stone wall
which has been inserted beneath it, it is chamfered with worn stops. All 3 beams
rest on corbel-stones at rear wall. Blocked doorway to hall visible. Blocked rear
doorway to passage also discernible. 2 cross beams in lower room (to which there
is no access from passage), lower one is C20. The other one is identical to beams
in passage with hollow elongated step stop discernible. Between this beam and the
one embedded in the partition wall to the passage all except 2 of the original
joists survives, of relatively small dimensions, chamfered and stopped like the
beams. Probably later C17. In the gable end wall of the lower room is a blocked
window opening with wooden lintel and splayed sides which still retain their old
plaster. On the rear wall is a small blocked opening for the ventilation slit.
The older roof trusses which survive consist of straight principal rafters morticed
and pegged at the apex and straight collars which are halved and pegged onto the
trusses. No sign of purlins having been trenched or threaded. 1 truss cuts across
the now partly dismantled chimney stack. Roof probably renewed in C18.

Listing NGR: SX7328081373

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26389504

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Derbyshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Wiltshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Hampshire: Winchester and the North (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  [(Shropshire)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1958)
• 
  For the Record