Lane End Farmhouse, boundary walls and outbuildings, Meare Green, Somerset

Summary

Former farmhouse (Lane End Farmhouse) of C18 date; substantially rebuilt in the early C19 and renovated in the late C20; and a number of C18/C19 and early-C20 agricultural buildings; the group to the SE converted to a dwelling (Home Orchard Farm) in late C20, and boundary walls.

Description

Former farmhouse (Lane End Farmhouse) of C18 date; substantially rebuilt in the early C19 and renovated in the late C20; and several C18/C19 and early-C20 outbuildings and boundary walls.

MATERIALS: the house constructed mostly from red brick in English bond with blue lias rubble to part of the front (N). The roof of the principal two-storey range is thatched with stone copings and brick chimneystacks to the gable ends, and a further ridge stack to the left-of-centre; the single-storey wings have plain tiled roofs.

PLAN: it has a U-shaped plan with a through-passage, three-room main range and two single-storey wings to the front (N).

EXTERIOR: the main range is of two storeys and four bays and is raised above the adjacent road level. The roadside (N) elevation has an off-centre entrance with six-panelled door; the top panels are glazed, and a late-C20 flat canopy above. There are mullioned timber windows of three lights; the one above the entrance dates probably from the C18 and has been restored. The flanking single-storey gabled wings break forward and have rendered walls except for some exposed stonework to the W elevation of the right-hand wing. The left (E) return is rendered and has a projecting structure, some 2m high, with a tiled monopitch roof and a low square-headed opening, possibly a stoke hole in its S wall; probably a curing chamber. The garden (S) elevation is built of brick on a stone plinth, with square-headed lintels of rubbed bricks and keystones to the ground-floor openings. The second bay from the right has an entrance door with glazed upper panels above raised and fielded panels. There are C20 wooden casement windows to the other bays and to the first floor. The W gable end is also of brick on a stone plinth and has only one window which lights the stairs at this end of the building.

INTERIOR: (partially inspected 2016). The room to the E of the through passage has a large fireplace with timber bressumer and stone jambs, a bread oven and a summer oven. There is a stone winder stair to left of the stack; there is a second staircase, of timber, at the W end of the house.

SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: to the front of Lane End Farmhouse is a small forecourt which is raised above the road level with a retaining wall and a short flight of steps on the N side. At the NE corner of the E wing of the house is a short length of walling, constructed of red brick with stone coping and a later, probably late-C19, pier at its N end. There are also boundary walls to either side of the house, parallel to the road; that to the W is built of random stone rubble with a cement capping, and to the E is a wall of random stone rubble that is capped with shaped red bricks. Within the rear (SW) garden is a further stone rubble wall with ashlar capping running NE-SW from the house. Immediately E of the house is a detached outbuilding that is built of blue lias with dressings of red brick under a clay tiled roof. It has a datestone inscribed 1919 set high in the E gable wall and the W gable end has a taking-in door with the remains of a hoist above. Behind (S) this is a further outbuilding of stone and brick with a monopitch roof and a doorway to the W elevation. It has a smaller footprint to a building shown in this location on the OS map of 1889 and incorporates some early fabric.

Pursuant to s.1 (5A) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 (‘the Act’) it is declared that the former agricultural buildings now known as Home Orchard Farm and its modern detached garage, and the greenhouse at Lane End Farmhouse are not of special architectural or historic interest.

History

Lane End Farmhouse appears to have originally been constructed as a stone-built house dating from the C18 or earlier and was substantially rebuilt in brick in the early C19. Associated with the house are a number of agricultural buildings which were added at various dates between the C18 and early C20. The first edition Ordnance Survey map of 1889 depicts the farmhouse as a U-shaped building situated alongside the road between North Curry and Stoke St Gregory, and its footprint has remained little changed up to the present day except for the loss of a range orientated SW-NE at the NE corner. Map progression indicates that some agricultural buildings have been demolished over the years, probably as a result of changing farming practices or changing fortunes of the owners, while those to the SE have been converted to a separate dwelling known as Home Orchard Farm (excluded from the listing).

Reasons for Listing

Lane End Farmhouse, boundary walls and outbuildings are listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* Architectural interest: the house is a good example of a vernacular dwelling with neat detailing and a good level of survival, internally and externally; the evidence of its evolution adds to its claims to special interest;
* Historic interest: in its C18 form and subsequent rebuilding in brick, the house reflects aspects of the changing pattern of rural domestic buildings over time;
* Group value: the associated boundary walls and surviving outbuildings provide evidence for the development of the farm over time and form a good ensemble with the house.

External Links

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