Description

BLACK TORRINGTON
SS 40 SE

10/8 East Graddon Farmhouse

14.2.58

- II

Farmhouse. Circa 1500 with probably mid - late C16 addition and early C17
alterations, modernised in late C20. Rendered cob walls at the front, exposed
rubble at rear. Gable-ended thatch roof with hipped asbestos slate roof to former
snippon. Rendered rubble axial stack with dripmoulds, raised in brick, brick gable-
end stack to wing and C20 rendered stack at rear of former snippon.
Plan: 3-room-and-through-passage plan formerly-with shippon at lower right end -its
conversion in late C20 prevents positive identification of the house as a true
Longhouse. Originally an open hall house with central hearth, the lower end was
also open to the roof but it is uncertain whether the inner room was since its roof
timbers have been replaced. A thick wall dividing the hall from inner room on
ground floor does not continue above. An unusual aspect of the plan is the early
wing added at the front of the higher end of the hall - it seems that it was 2
storeys from the start since it has an early doorway on the 1st floor although this
raises questions on the flooring over of the hall into which the doorway opens. It
is possible that the doorway was for ladder access into a chamber from the still
open hall as its ceiling beam do not suggest a particularly early flooring over.
Tnis and the insertion of the hall stack against the passage are more likely to have
occured in the early C17. The inner room remained unheated and the ground floor
room of the wing was probably used as a parlour with a fireplace in its end wall.
The late C20 modernisation incorporated the conversion of-the shippon but otherwise
Little alteration to the plan.
Exterior: 2 storeys. Asymmetrical 2-window front with wing projecting to left of
centre and converted snippon at right-hand end which has 3 late C20 dormer windows.
Otherwise early - mid C20 1 and 2-light casements with 2 tall casements on inner
face of wing. C20 part-glazed door to right of centre with thatch doorhood. To the
left of the wing is another 2-light casement on the ground floor. Rear elevation
has early C20 lean-to left of centre.
Interior: hall and passage have chamfered cross beams with straight-cut stops.
Hall fireplace has had the soffit of its lintel cut into, retains its cloam oven.
The front wing has chamfered and straight-cut stop ceiling beams and similar lintel
to smaller fireplace also with a cloam oven. Inner room has similar ceiling beams.
on 1st floor is low doorway into wing with original 4-centred arch chamfered
doorframe.
Roof: over the wing are 2 pairs of probably raised crucks, one of which rests on a
wall-post, with threaded purlins. Where the wing joins the main range there is a
tie beam with stud partition above. No access to roof space over wing. Over the
nall and passage are 2 nore cruck trusses, probably also raised crucks with threaded
purlins, diagonal ridge and cranked collars halved onto the principals with dovetail
joints. All are heavily smoke-blackened. Over the higher end the roof structure
has been replaced probably in the C18.
This is a well-preserved late medieval farmhouse in an area where not many survive,
with an unusual plan form.

Listing NGR: SS4530103353

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26399077

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

• 
  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair by Hunt. Roger ( 2008 ) Hardcover
• 
  Nottinghamshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Norfolk 1: Norwich and North-East: Norwich and North-east v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Worcestershire Revised Edition (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)