Description

SS 72 NE BISHOP'S NYMPTON

2/25 Sheepwash Farmhouse and outbuilding
adjoining at west end
20.2.67
II

Farmhouse and adjoining outbuilding, part of the Bishop's Nympton estate. Late
C16/early C17, remodelled in the C19 and probably at other periods. Stone rubble,
roughcast on most of the rear (north) elevation, cob on stone rubble footings to
front (south) elevation of the 2 west blocks; absestos slate roof, gabled at ends;
right end stack with a probably C17 stone shaft with drip ledges, rear left lateral
stack with a brick shaft, now enclosed by an outshut.
Plan: A single depth south-facing range of at least 3 different builds with 3
separate rooflines. The present arrangement is single depth, 3 rooms wide with a
cross passage to right of centre and an outbuilding at the left end. The late
C16/early C17 arrangement seems to have been a lower end parlour or kitchen heated by
the end stack, a hall heated by the rear lateral stack and an unheated inner room.
Fragments of decorated plasterwork indicate a high quality first floor chamber over
the lower end and there was also decorated plasterwork in the room over the inner
room. The hall passage and lower end have been raised and re-fronted in stone,
probably in the C19. The lower end has been reduced in size with a narrow unheated
room created, parallel to the passage, possibly also in the C19. A small detached
building south-east of the house was used as a detached kitchen as recently as the
1940s. This building is very altered and difficult to date but it is possible that
there was no kitchen in the main range until the mid C20. The outbuilding adjoining
at the left end has a lower roofline and some evidence of rebuilding or extension on
the rear wall.
Exterior: 2 storeys. Asymmetrical 5 window south front plus 3 windows to the
outbuilding at the left end. The stone block at the right end has a gabled proch to
the cross passage with benches with oak seats and a good C17 inner stud and plank
front door in a chamfered frame. 4 first floor 4-pane C19 sashes, 2 similar sashes
to the left of the porch, 1 to the right. To the left of the stone block a lower-
roofed block has 1 first floor and 1 ground floor 3-light small pane casement and 4
bee boles. The outbuilding, adjoining at the left, has 3 ground floor casements and
2 bee boles. The rear elevation has C20 casement windows. The stack is gabled to
the rear below the chimney shaft and has a small rectangular projection adjacent to
it which appears to be a bread oven but is said to have contained a kitchen range.
The outbuilding, to the right has a large doorway with a C19 segmental brick arch and
a smaller doorway into a lean-to adjoining at the right end.
Interior: The hall (centre room) has a good set of chamfered crossbeams supported on
timber corbels on the south side. C20 hall fireplace probably concealing earlier
jambs, earlier lintel said to be fire-damaged. The inner room has a rough crossbeam.
The lower end room has a chamfered axial beam and C20 fireplace, possibly concealing
an earlier lintel and jambs. A good C17 plank and stud door with strap hinges gives
access to the store room created out of the width of the lower end room - it is
probably the original lower end door. A curious feature on the ground floor is a
cupboard, within the width of the original lower end room but now outside it and
adjacent to the south wall. The cupboard is heavily sooted inside and seems to have
been a curing chamber but is not associated with an existing stack.
Roof: In the roofspace the remains of decorated plaster work survive on the cross
wall above the lower end partition of the passage on the east side. A plaster frieze
and motifs including a stylized lion rampant are preserved and the remains of a
cornice. The room over the inner room formerly retained plaster decoration;
scattered motifs on the walls (information from tenant). The roof timbers have been
considerably renewed.

Listing NGR: SS7911027153

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26456207

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

• 
  County Durham (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England) by Elizabeth Williamson Nikolaus Pevsner(1983-03-11)
• 
  Staffordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  [(Bedfordshire, Huntingdon and Peterborough)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1968)
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Buildings of England)
• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of Historic Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
• 
  Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)