Description

SS 81 NE TEMPLETON

8/182 Higher South Coombe Farmhouse and
- 2 adjoining barns

II

Former farmhouse, adjoining barn converted to domestic use and adjoining threshing
barn at right angles to main block. House of late medieval origins, remodelled in 2
phases in the circa early C17 and extended by a kitchen wing in the circa late C17,
some C20 renovations. Adjoining barn probably C18 in origin, converted to
accommodation late C20; threshing barn late C18/early C19. Cob and stone rubble, the
house and converted barn colourwashed and plastered. House with thatched roof,
gabled at left end, hipped at right end; left end and axial stacks; end stack to
kitchen wing. Converted barn slated; threshing barn with corrugated iron roof.
Plan: T plan house, a single depth main range, 4 rooms wide with a rear kitchen wing.
The house is a late medieval open hall in origin, the 3 left hand rooms are the
earlier and arranged as 3 rooms and cross passage, lower end to the left, inserted
hall stack backing on to passage. An internal jetty at the higher end of the hall
indicates that the house was floored in 2 phases. When the hall was floored it was
probably re-used as a kitchen, as the lower end room is a mid C17 parlour; narrow
unheated inner room. A rear centre kitchen wing was added in the circa late C17 with
access from the hall. The right hand room of the main range is a converted
outbuilding, probably a former dairy.
The barn adjoining at the left end was converted to accommodation in the late C20;
threshing barn at right angles to this has opposed threshing doors.
Exterior: House 2 storeys. Asymmetrical 5 window front, front door to passage to
left of centre; C20 door at extreme right into former outbuilding. First floor
windows 2-light C19 timber small-pane casements; 2 similar ground floor windows, one
1-light window, flanked by bee boles, 2 pigeon holes to first floor. The adjoining
converted barn has a re-used panelled door and 1 first floor and 1 ground floor
window; threshing barn has large doorway with cob cheeks.
Interior: Good survival of C16 and C17 carpentry and joinery. Exposed joists in the
cross passage which is flanked by a lower end plank and muntin screen and, at the
higher end, by a section of possibly medieval plank and muntin screen and the stone
rubble rear wall of the stack. The inner room has a deeply chamfered cross beam and
open fireplace with an ovolo-moulded lintel, fireplace apparently reduced in size.
The hall has 2 moulded axial beams, a good open fireplace with a hearth window and a
fine screen at the higher end above which the inner room jetties in to the hall with
joists with moulded ends; half the joists have been cut off. Straight stair against
rear well replaces former newel in rear left corner. Good chamfered doorframe to the
inner room, which has been sub-divided in the late C20. The kitchen wing has a
chamfered axial beam with runout stops and an open fireplace with chamfered lintel,
bread oven and putative curing chamber. One ovolo-moulded doorframe on first floor.
Roof: The feet of 2 jointed cruck roof trusses visible upstairs; truncated below the
joint. These trusses have apparently also been cut off in the roofspace where the
timbers are C18 and C19 but include 2 smoke-blackened re-used late medieval rafters.
Interior of converted barn not inspected; single-storey threshing barn has circa late
C18/early C19 roof trusses.

Listing NGR: SS8821315336

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26400710

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

• 
  The Victorian House Manual (2nd Edition): How They Were Built, Improvements & Refurbishment, Solutions to All Common Defects - Includes Relevant ... ... Properties (Haynes Manual) (Haynes Manuals)
• 
  Northumberland (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Hampshire: Winchester and the North (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Renovating Old Houses: Bringing New Life to Vintage Homes (For Pros By Pros)
• 
  Somerset: North and Bristol: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)