Description

ST GILES
SS 51 NW IN THE WOOD
7/197 Stonyford Cottage
24.3.88
II

Farmhouse, once used as 2 cottages. Probably C16 origins, much rebuilt in the early-
mid C17, some C19 alterations, disused since circa 1920. Walls of local stone
rubble, raised in cob; stone rubble stacks topped with C19 brick; corrugated iron
roof, formerly thatch.
Plan and development: The farmhouse faces north-east. The interior has been gutted
although it clearly had a 4-room plan. The narrower room at the right (north-west)
end has collapsed and was clearly an C18 or C19 extension. Thus the original house
had a 3-room plan and is unusual in having no passage. Entry was apparontly directly
into the hall, the large central room which has a projecting rear lateral stack. To
left (south-east), a small unheated inner room, probably a buttery or dairy, and to
right a parlour with a gable-end stack and newel stair turret projecting to rear.
Since most of the internal structure has been removed it is not possible to determine
the development of the house although Alock describes the features he saw here in
1968 (see below). The walls however show that the original house, probably a C16
open hall house, was raised in height in the early-mid C17. It is now open to the
roof but was formerly 2 storeys.
Exterior: Nearly symmetrical 1:1:1-window front of C19 casements, now mostly missing
their glass. The centre bay breaks forward very slightly and the doorway here is
blocked by a window. Secondary doorway to right. The roof is gable-ended. Similar
rear fenestration and a bay window between the projecting stair turret and stack.
Interior: Most of the structural carpentry has been removed. The crossbeam between
hall and inner room remains. There are no mortices underneath which led Alcock to
speculate that there was no partition here. Both fireplaces were rebuilt in the C19
and have brick arches. Early-mid C17 oak doorframe to the newel stair has a
chamfered surround with step stops. C20 roof.
Despite its dilapidated condition this is still a very attractive farmhouse.
Source: N.W. Alcock. Devon Farmhouses, Part 1. Trans. Devon Assoc. 100 (1968) pp 26-
27 includes a description of the C17 carpentry detail.
The farmer of Stonyford Mill has a colour photograph of an oil painting of the house
before it was abandoned.

Listing NGR: SS5417518364

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26398972

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

• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair
• 
  Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Warwickshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability
• 
  A Buying and Owning a Listed Building: A Brief Guide
• 
  Harrow on the Hill: A photographic portrayal of listed buildings and structures (Historic Buildings Picture Guides)