Description

CHURCHSTOW LEIGH
SX 74 NW
5/71
Leigh Barton Farmhouse
GV I
Farmhouse with monastic lodging. C15, C17, renovation and reconstruction from
c.1983. Green-grey schist, slate or asbestos-cement slate roofs. A U-plan
courtyard group, open towards the east; the north range, much reconstructed in
the C17 and re-windowed in the C19, with central hall and remains of screen,
cross passage, and external stair turret to the north. Attached to this an
L-plan C15 range with kitchen, ex tomel gallery to upper lodgings and storage.
The whole is fully described and interpreted by Beric M Morley in the paper
listed below. Rear ranges are in 2 storeys; the kitchen wing, set east-west,
has a recently reconstructed (1988) 6-bay timber gallery on compartmental floor
to moulded beams, and 12-bay panelled balustrade to moulded muntins and hand-
rail, approached by steep flight of 7 stone steps from chamfered plinth. Below
this a 2-light timber casement and wide open to kitchen. Left gable end, to
half hip has remains of a vaulted bread oven, doorway broken through a second
similar area, and square opening at upper level, former doorway. From the
south-east corner a low wall connects across to the adjacent farm buildings (qv)
and contains lower parts of 2 former windows. South front has at each side of a
broad garderobe turret a small opening to shouldered arch and a 2-light stone
mullion and transom casement to cusping and stopped hoodmould; to the right a
buttress with 3 offsets. Left gable is to coped verge, with small ridge stack,
above a shouldered door opening, probably a former window, and a 2-light case-
ment as south face. To the left, the outer wall of the return arm has a stepped
garderobe turret flanked each side by small shouldered opening with iron arma-
ture, and first floor left a 2-light stone cusped casement. The east, courtyard
front of this wing has broad opening to chamfered lintel, partly below the
gallery and at first floor level a single light casement to recessed chamfer
jambs under a granite moulded lintel with dropped ends, not corresponding with
jamb moulding, and a 2-light basket-handle arched casement with transom and
stopped hoodmould, all in granite. Interior: Kitchen has remains of large fire
opening to vaulting on responds, 4 large chamfered beams to renewed floor, and a
timber breast wall to an upper chamber. North wall has splayed openings to door
and casement, and two rectangular recesses. Restructured 4-bay + 2 bay roof on
cruck like principals to high cambered collar. Between to parts a half-timbered
partition to full height. The west range has interior gallery in half-
timbering, returned across the north end and carried on square post to square
base; part here is full height to roof, under reconstruction at time of
inspection (December 1988). Between west and south ranges a wide opening with
bressummer carried on corbel responds, and a long splay from east-side entry.
Farmhouse and hall range: front to inner courtyard has, far left, a small
single light at mid height, then half-hipped porch to chamfered round arch, on
steps from the cobbled courtyard. Above porch a 2-light casement and some
rendering on stonework. To the right a series of C19 casements: at ground floor
2, 3 and 4-light, and at first floor 2, 3 and 3-light. right gable end has
external stack, and single storey lean-to addition. The north front, former
entry side, faces the Gate House (qv) across courtyard. At left a gabled stair
projection with C19 margin-bar casement. To right large external stack to hall
fireplace, then 6-panel C19 door in wider blocked opening to wood lintel, below
a 2-light casement, and a small casement far right. A single lean-to building
abuts the wall linking farmhouse to gatehouse, containing door beneath a moulded
granite fragment as link. The west gable wall has 2-light over 3-light recon-
structed casement. Interior: inspected only in part, retains part of C16 cross
passage screen, and stone spiral stair from hall to right of main fireplace.
The farmhouse largely reconstructed in the C17. A M Devon No 193.
(Beric M Morley; Leigh Barton, Chuchstow, S Devon; Devon Archaeological Society
Proceedings, No 41, 1983).

Listing NGR: SX7201746703

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17526899

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

• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Gloucestershire 2: The Vale and The Forest of Dean: Vale and Forest of Dean Pt. 2 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Wiltshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Cork: City and County (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
• 
  Huddersfield in 50 Buildings
• 
  London 1: The City of London: City of London v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)