Description

SS 72 SW GEORGE NYMPTON

5/62 Broomhouse and Broomhouse Farmhouse

II

House divided into 2. Late medieval origins, remodelled in the C17 and again in the
circa early/mid C19 when it was also extended at the west end. Whitewashed and
plastered, probably cob on stone rubble footings, stone rubble outshut; roof thatched
to the front of the ridge, slated to the rear; end stacks and rear lateral stack (all
with handmade brick shafts) to Broomhouse, end stack to Broomhouse Farmhouse, 2
stacks to the outshut, projecting through the roof.
Plan: The present arrangement is a south-facing range, 5 rooms wide, with a 2-storey
rear outshut extending the full length of the range. The early core is the right
hand (east) part of the range (Broomhouse). This originated as a late medieval open
hall house of which one smoke-stained roof truss survives, the apex about 2 metres
below the present ridge. The house is likely to have been floored in the C17 but
very little evidence from this period remains: the position of the 3 right hand
stacks suggest a 3 room plan house in the C17, (lower end to the right), the present
entrance to Broomhouse may be on the site of the original C17 entrance: it faces a
straight run stair with circa mid C17 newel posts. The roof structure over the 3
right hand rooms is very late C17 or C18. The house was presumably raised at this
date and the height of the first floor may have been raised as well, as there is no
exposed C17 carpentry to the ground floor ceilings. Some C18 panelling upstairs and
a china cupboard in the centre ground floor room indicate refurbishment at this date:
this was followed by an early C19 remodelling retaining the old ground plan but
giving a garden front with French windows and a verandah. It is difficult to date
the service outshut but it may also be early C19, although perhaps incorporating an
earlier outshut to the left hand (west) property. Broomhouse Farmhouse is more
difficult to interpret: it may have originated as a late C17 or C18 addition to
Broomhouse, the extreme left hand (west end) room is said to be a C19 extension. The
outshut is cut back into the slope of the land with steps down to an alleyway to the
rear doors, the alleyway protected by C19 iron railings. An underground cellar
extends north from the rear of Broomhouse, under the lane to the farm to the east.
Exterior: 2 storeys. Asymmetrical 2:6 window front: Broomhouse, to the left,
symmetrical with a central thatched porch with a half-glazed C19 or early C20 front
door. 3-light casements, probably C20, with glazing bars. The south elevation of
Broomhouse to the right, has a 9-bay verandah, probaby a C20 reconstruction of a C19
verandah, retaining C19 pitched stone flooring, and a C20 front door to right of
centre flanked by 2-light small-pane C19 casements. To the left, 2 early C19 French
windows with glazing bars, one similar window to the right. 2- and 3-light small-
pane C20 casements to the first floor, C20 copies of C19 windows. The rear elevation
retains a set of first floor 4 over 8 pane C19 sashes to the outshut, C19 railings
above the rear alleyway and a good late C19 gate to the garden at the east end of the
range. At the west end of the range the rear wall is canted inwards.
Interior: Broomhouse Farmhouse is modernized, retaining a large, probably C19 open
fireplace at the left (west) end. Broomhouse retains C17 bobbin turned newel posts
at the top of the straight run stair; a very pretty C18 china cupboard in the centre
room has shaped shelves and a shell hood; C18 fielded panelling to the window
embrasure on first floor right. The 2 left hand ground floor rooms have C19 plaster
cornices and a mid C19 chimney-piece on the first floor is complete with iron grate.
Roof: The apex of one smoke-stained medieval truss is visible in the roofspace to
left of the centre of Broomhouse. The principal rafters are mortised at the apex and
the ridge, which is missing was diagonally-set. The other trusses over Broomhouse
are collar rafter, the collars butted on to the principals which are pegged at the
apex. The date is probably late C17 or C18. One of the trusses may be fixed on to
the foot of a second medieval truss as a curved foot is visible below the ceiling,
plastered-over. The outshut roof is probably early C19. Roof over Broomhouse not
inspected.
The cellar below the lane north of Broomhouse has a slate floor and water runnel; it
consists of one cell and a narrow winding tunnel, open at both ends.
An unsually large traditional house, evidently of gentry quality by the mid C19.
White's Devon (1850) describes it as the "pleasant seat" of J.G. Pearse Esq.,
solicitor, who owned an estate in the parish and in 1879 it was lived in by George
Bush, described as a civil engineer, a tenant of the Rev. J.G. Pearce, White's Devon
(1879).

Listing NGR: SS7042423386

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26401047

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
• 
  Old House Care and Repair
• 
  Farrow & Ball How to Decorate: Transform your home with paint & paper
• 
  Yorkshire West Riding: Leeds, Bradford and the North (Pevsner Architectural Guides / Buildings of England)
• 
  Norfolk 1: Norwich and North-East: Norwich and North-east v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Gwent/Monmouthshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Wales)