Description

HARTLAND
SS 22 SW

3/130 Galsham Farmhouse

GV II*

Farmhouse. Dated 1682 and 1717 but almost certainly with earlier origins and with
later C18 addition. Plastered rubble walls, possibly incorporating some cob. Main
range and inner front wing have hipped slate roofs with old crested ridge tiles,
right-hand wing is gable-ended. Very large rubble axial stack with dripcourses to
main range. Brick stack at right-hand side of inner wing and one at rear gable of
outer wing.
Plan: complex plan and development. Basically an L-shaped plan of which the inner
wing running north-south is probably the earlier with features which appear to date
to the mid C17. However it has a datestone of 1682 on the outside and although this
could refer to a remodelling it is possible that it was built in an archaic style.
In 1717 a new range was added at right angles to the north-west of the older house,
built very much in the new double depth style of the period but incorporating the
older part in its plan to give it a central stairhall with 2 principal rooms to the
left and one room from the older range to the right. The entrance was actually into
tne corner of the older wing which was taken into the new stairhall with a heated
room at the front of the wing. At the outer side of this wing another was built on
parallel to it probably later in the C18. It may be that the house was once larger
and has been truncated as its internal features and style suggest a house of some
importance.
Exterior: 2 storeys. Asymmetrical L-shaped front with larger range with deep
hipped roof to the left. It is 2 windows wide with replaced 12-pane sashes on each
floor. Projecting from its right end is a wing with a datestone below the eaves of
1682. To the left on its 1st floor is an early C19 12-pane sash. In the angle with
the main range is a lean-to C19 or early 020 porch which has an early C18 2-panel
door behind which has had planks applied to the front. At the end of the wing is a
replaced 12-pane sash on the 1st floor and paired early C19 12-pane sashes below.
The parallel wing to its right projects slightly with a single storey outbuilding
extending from the front. Rear elevation has datestone of 1717 with the initials
C.V. (Charles Velly) to right of centre. 12-pane early C19 sash to right with
larger contemporary 12-pane stair window to its left. Below it is a horizontal
sliding late C18/early C19 18-pane sash. 2-light C19 casement to the right. 2
blocked window openings to the left. The left-hand rear elevation has a C17 3-light
chamfered stone mullion window on the ground floor to the right. C19 paired 15-pane
sashes above and to the left. C19 panelled door below to right of centre. Later
wing extends to left-hand end projecting forward.
Interior: the early C18 interior of the 1717 range is fairly complete with some
high quality features. Several 2-panel doors survive, some bolection moulded. Good
dog-leg staircase with square panelled newels, turned and moulded balusters and deep
moulded handrail. At the bottom is a dog gate of open fretwork design with curved
top which reputedly came from Hartland Abbey (q.v). On the 1st floor is a large
landing and it is evident from the 2 panel doors and cyma recta moulded plaster
cornice that the early C18 room arrangement is preserved. The rear left-hand 1st
floor room has a wooden bolection-moulded chimneypiece and built-in cupboard with 3
fielded panelled doors. The room in front has an C18 chimneypiece with moulded
surround and dentilled cornice. In the 1682 wing on the 1st floor is a doorframe
and door of mid C17 type with ovolo-moulded frame and very fine quality door with
panel frame of moulded stiles muntins and rails on one side, chamfered and stopped
rails and stiles on the reverse. In the room behind this scratched on the window
glass are the names John Shelley - dated either 1728 or 1798 and another date 1746.
Roof: straight principals with collars halved on with notched lap joints, the apex
halved with a form of yoke nailed on at the front and back; trenched purlins.
This is a relatively unusual survival in North Devon of a dated late C17 - early C18
house which preserves numerous features of that period and may have others
concealed; it also retains a very traditional appearance.
Galsham is on an early site having been given by Geoffrey de Dinant to Hartland
Abbey and was for many years the property of the Velly family. The C.V. probably
refers to Charles Velly born 1653.
Source: Hartland and West Country Chronicle - Notes of the Past - R Perse Chope :
Lyson's Account of Hartland, July 1911 and The Velly Family, September 1912

Listing NGR: SS2450322697

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17536245

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

• 
  County Durham (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England) by Elizabeth Williamson Nikolaus Pevsner(1983-03-11)
• 
  Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy
• 
  Cumbria: Cumberland, Westmorland and Furness (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Churches: An Architectural Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Hampshire: South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Wiltshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)