Description

MORCHARD BISHOP
SS 70 NW
4/105 Easton Barton Farmhouse [formerly
- listed as Easton Barton Old Farmhouse
26.8.65 (West and East)]
- II

Large farmhouse of gentry quality. Medieval origins, early or mid C16 with later
C16 and C17 improvements and extensions. Main block of crudely squared blocks of
mudstone and volcanic trap roughly laid to courses, wings of mudstone and trap
rubble and the east wing including a section of plastered cob on rubble footings;
stone stacks some topped with C20 brick; late C19 orange-red tile roofs, corrugated
iron to rear of east wing. Main block facing north comprise the hall and through
passage, the west crosswing at the upper end projects forward and rear and east
(left) service crosswing on lower side of passage projects to rear only. Projecting
newel stair turret to right of front in angle between hall and west wing and rear
bay projection also in angle between hall and west wing. Hall has rear projecting
lateral stack, west wing has outer lateral stack towards rear and east wing has
small projecting stack on front end and an axial kitchen stack (now disused). 2
storeys throughout. Irregular main (north-facing) front. 2-window front to hall
with early-mid C16 passage doorway at left end. It is a 2-centred granite arch with
a moulded surround, broach stops and a volcanic hoodmould. The 2 ground floor hall
windows are contemporary. Both are similar, tall, built of granite with moulded
volcanic stone hoods and relieving arches over. Single light left window has
central transom, round-headed lights, with sunken spandrels, hollow moulded surround
and reveal. 2-light right window similar but lower lights are square-headed.
Single C20 casement to first floor. To right newel stair turret is 3-sided in angle
of wings and includes small granite lights with flat arched, almost round, heads and
iron stanchions and saddle bars. West wing at right end has C20 door and casements
without glazing bars under C20 concrete lintels. Front end of east wing is blind
and is built of cob on rubble footings. Roof of hall includes bands of fish scale
and is carried down over newel stair turret. West wing has plain red tile and is
hipped. On left side of hall roof steps down to east wing which is also plain red
tile and hipped. Outer side of east wing is in 2 sections. The cob and rubble
front section to right has a C20 casement with glazing bars on each floor and
includes some pilaster buttressing of uncertain function. Rear (left hand) section
of rubble includes single C20 window on each floor but shows blocking of 2 more
first floor windows. Roof on lower level is corrugated iron. Rear south elevation
of hall in similar style to front. Similar early-mid C16 granite arched door to
rear of passage on right (now within a C20 outshot of east wing). Large projecting
hall stack in centre has original tall stone shaft. Projecting 2-storey bay to left
of stack has its own pitched roof parallel to hall. Hall and front of bay have
granite 2-light mullion-and-central-transom windows identical to those on front and
both first floor windows are C20 casements. Gable end of oriel has small early-mid
C16 windows on each floor; a ground floor granite single light with ogee head and
sunken spandrels, and first floor plain oak single light with cinque-foil head, some
curious breaks in masonry of hall may indicate survival of late medieval fabric.
End of west wing to left has C20 pentice roof across front, C20 casements and door.
Roof hipped. East wing has C20 door and loading hatch in gable end.
Good interior but access not possible at time of survey. Nevertheless several
features are known to exist. The hall is particularly well-preserved. Passage
includes a granite arched doorway. Roof of side-pegged jointed cruck trusses with
cambered collars and chamfered arch braces. It is not smoke-blackened. Stone newel
stair. Hall has 6-panel intersecting beam ceiling with moulded edges. It is
possible that hall floored from beginning since the windows fit and roof relatively
plain. Bay is said to have housed a first floor chapel. Ground floor of bay has
late C17 moulded plaster cornice. Jointed crucks are also reported from an
unspecified wing. According to a circa 1930 plan made by A W Everett (now in NMR)
east wing houses massive kitchen fireplace. A high quality house with an unusually
well-preserved hall. Very little is known of its history.

Listing NGR: SS7444306684

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26542305

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

• 
  [(Cumberland and Westmorland)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1967)
• 
  Wiltshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Herefordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Care and Repair
• 
  Sussex: West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  England's Post-War Listed Buildings