History

Two surviving bays of a mediaeval farmhouse, separated by a fine cruck truss probably of the C15, now incorporated in a long range of C18/19 agricultural buildings. Stone quoins suggest the mediaeval building terminated at the south bay of the cruck-framed part, and that the livestock range to the south is a later addition.

Exterior

Agricultural range in local slatey stone with part asbestos, part slate roof. The slate-roofed north half of the building, including the two bays which survive from the mediaeval farmhouse, is a single storey range standing on level ground. Heck doors to front. The south half of the building is a lofted range for livestock, built on rising ground. This has three heck-doors and a loft hatch.

Interior

The part of the agricultural range which contains the two domestic bays separated by a cruck truss is about 7 m in length by about 6 m wide. The truss consists of two large and well-shaped blades extending from about waist height to the apex. The feet of the blades disappear into the stonework. At their thickest the blades are about 175 by 400 mm. A high collar beam is morticed into the blades, and there are arch braces to each side with multiple pegged tenons both to the collar beam and to the blades. The soffit of the collar beam is notched at centre to receive the top ends of the braces. Above the collar beam is a short king post decoratively carved, morticed into the blades at apex; the blades abut each other vertically. The arch braces and the blades below are carved on the lower arris with a staff moulding at each face. There are stave holes both above and below the collar beam showing the partition was complete. There are also mortices beneath the arch braces each side for two lost posts.

Two early purlins survive on the east side and there are two modern purlins on the west side. There is no windbracing or any mortices for windbracing; the truss has been supported against racking by an inserted strut from the wall to the south.

Reasons for Listing

A significant fragment of a fine mediaeval house preserved in an agricultural range.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q29502029

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

• 
  Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Sussex: West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2
• 
  County Durham (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England) by Elizabeth Williamson Nikolaus Pevsner(1983-03-11)
• 
  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)