Spilfeathers

The house at Spilfeathers dates to the late medieval period, with substantial alterations and extensions in the early 20th century. It is timber-framed and plastered, with a roof of machine-made red tiles. The original structure comprises a two-bay hall range facing northwest, with an internal stack positioned centrally along the axis. To the left is a two-bay cross-wing, dating from the 16th century or earlier, which was originally jettied to the front but is now underbuilt, with a stack marking the junction. An early 20th-century cross-wing stands to the right, incorporating an internal stack and a catslide extension to the rear. A further early 20th-century extension extends to the rear of the hall, featuring two internal stacks. Modern two-storey and single-storey extensions are also present at the rear, one with a flat roof, and a single-storey extension with a hipped roof projects from the front of the left cross-wing. The house is two storeys with attics. All windows are 20th-century casements, including a gabled dormer in the hall range and another to the left, with a half-glazed door set within a large, glazed porch with a roof.

The interior is largely plastered, with limited evidence of the original timber frame. In the left bay of the hall is a chamfered axial beam with lamb's tongue stops, alongside plain, vertically sectioned joists, inserted around 1600. The ground-floor studding of the rear wall has been removed, with the girt boxed or replaced. A large wood-burning hearth, facing to the left, is blocked and plastered over. Original wallplates are exposed approximately 0.40 meters at first-floor level, and the walls have been raised at a later date. False framing is visible in the attic, although some potentially original framing exists, hammered to a rough finish. An early cast-iron grate with a hot water tank and tap is located on the first-floor hearth. In the left cross-wing, a single severed post is visible beside a hearth, which has a 20th-century hearth built out in front.

Historical records indicate that the holding was documented in the Petre archives in 1557 and 1591, then belonging to Thomas Silvester, who, at his death in 1596, possessed a barn, stable, orchard, garden, and yard, encompassing twelve acres. The Walker map of 1601 depicts a low hall with a central door and stack, and one window on either side, along with a two-storey cross-wing to the right, both with tiled roofs. This is a left-right reversal of the house’s appearance as revealed by the physical evidence. As Adkins, located opposite, was similarly reversed left to right, but otherwise depicting the same elements, it is possible that the Walker map accurately illustrates the houses but reversed their positions on the map.