Kerswell Green Farmhouse

SO 84 NE 1431/7/10006

KEMPSEY KERSWELL GREEN Kerswell Green Farmhouse

II

House, formerly a farmhouse. Late Medieval, and extended in early and later C17; C18 and C20 alterations. Timber-framed with painted brick front. Thatched roof with gabled ends. Brick axial and gable-end stacks. PLAN: Long 4-bay main range. The two wider centre bays are the hall of the Medieval house; the narrow right [N] bay and the south bay with a gable-end stack were built in the C17, and the unheated wing behind the south bay is said to have been added later in the C17. In the C17 the hall was floored and a central stack with back-to-back fireplaces was built in the middle dividing it into two rooms. In about the late C18 the front was faced in brick, and in the C20 bay windows and a porch were built on the front and an outshut was built at the back. EXTERIOR: 1 storey and attic. Asymmetrical 4-bay east front. Three circa C19 3-light casements to the attics in eyebrow caves. Thatch of main roof carried down on left over two C20 bay windows with porch between, another C20 bay window to right of centre with narrow single storey wing to right of that. At the rear [W], the timber-framing is exposed; projecting wing on right and C20 single-storey outshut on left. INTERIOR: Exposed wall-framing, ceiling beams and crucks. The north room has a roughly chamfered axial beam and exposed unchamfered joists; partition to narrow north bay removed. Centre room has deeply chamfered axial beam with pyramid stops and plastered-over fireplace. South room has chamfered axial beam with cyma stops and fireplace with ovolo moulded timber bressumer; room in rear wing has chamfered intersecting beams with cyma stops. The three full cruck trusses are exposed on the ground floor and in the chambers above, the collars halved onto the principals, and the central truss is arch-braced and has a small collar at the apex; the apexes of the other trusses were not inspected; large exposed purlins set on backs of principals. NOTE: Kerswell Green Farmhouse is reputedly the home of Edward Winslow, who sailed in the Mayflower in 1620 and became Governor of the Plymouth Colony.

Listing NGR: SO8600946532