Description

SX 78 NW
7/131

DREWSTEIGNTON
SANDYPARK

Higher Parford Farmhouse

GV
II

Farmhouse. Probably C16 and C17. Plastered stone rubble, maybe with cob; stone
rubble stacks topped with C19 brick (in fact the hall chimney shaft is granite
ashlar at the base and brick above but its original granite coping with crenellated
top has been reset on top of the brick); thatch roof.
Plan and development: 3-room-and-through-passage plan house facing east-south-east,
say east, and built down the hill slope. Inner room with projecting gable-end stack
and is terraced into the uphill right (north) end. It is set back slightly from the
main front giving the hall windows the impression of a bay. The hall has an axial
stack backing onto the passage. Long unheated service end room at the downhill left
end. Secondary service outshot projecting at right angles to rear of inner room is
now used as a kitchen. Since no internal inspection was available at the time of
this survey it is not possible to outline the historic development of the farmhouse
here. Nevertheless it seems likely that it was an open hall house originally, maybe
heated by an open hearth fire. The long downhill service end room might even
suggest that it was formerly a Dartmoor longhouse with a shippon there. It is now 2
storeys throughout.
Exterior: irregular 5-window front of various C19 and C20 casements. The oldest
contain rectangular panes of leaded glass, others have glazing bars and some of the
latest also have rectangular panes of leaded glass. The front passage doorway is
set left of centre and now contains an early C20 plank door behind a contemporary
trellis porch. Roof is gable-ended to right and hipped to left.
Interior: was not available for inspection at the time of this survey although it
appears to have had only superficial C19 and C20 modernisations. Also it is said to
include an oak plank-and-muntin screen. Other C16 and C17 features are suspected
throughout the house and the roof might be late medieval.
Higher Parford appears to be a well-preserved Devon farmhouse, probably C16 with C17
improvements. A proper internal survey should be undertaken before any building
work here lest C16 or C17 features be affected.
The owner reports the discovery of an oak window with cusped lights, presumably
early C16 in date.

Listing NGR: SX7140989971

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26399951

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

• 
  Kent: West and the Weald: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Sussex: West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Yorkshire: York and the East Riding (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Renovating Old Houses: Bringing New Life to Vintage Homes (For Pros By Pros)
• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Development and Design of Heritage Sensitive Sites: Strategies for Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas