Earls Farmhouse

Earl's Farmhouse is a farmhouse, now converted to domestic use, situated on the north side of Main Street in Compton Martin. The building originates from the late 16th or early 17th century, with the roof raised and a staircase tower added during the later 17th century, followed by subsequent alterations and additions.

The house is constructed of rubble, painted, with a triple roll tiled roof featuring a brick ridge stack to the left of the passage and gable stacks, together with some double Roman tiles and pantiles. The plan forms an L-shape created by a late 17th or early 18th century rear wing, incorporating a through passage and rear stair tower. The building is two storeys with five windows.

The front elevation comprises three 4-light casements on the ground floor with wide ovolo-moulded mullions, timber lintels and high relieving arches. To the right is a 16-pane fixed light. The third bay from the left has a 19th century shallow-gabled porch with a 20th century panelled door with side lights. The first floor has four 3-light 19th century casements with timber lintels and a similar 2-light casement to the right. Raised parapets to the gable ends with coped verges, possibly constructed to accommodate former thatching, are visible.

The left return has a greenhouse and a rubble lean-to at lower ground floor level. The right return features a single storey pantiled lean-to with a 4-pane light and double doors to the rear. The two-storey rear wing has a 20th century door with timber lintel and a 19th century 2-light casement at first floor level. The rear of the wing displays a similar 3-light casement with timber lintel at ground floor, with lintel only remaining at first floor level.

The inner side of the rear wing contains two 2-light 20th century casements at ground floor, the right one with a heavy timber lintel, alongside a smaller 2-light casement and single light at first floor. The rear elevation shows an 8-pane light and 4-pane light with timber lintel to the left, and a studded door to the rear of the passage with strap hinges and moulded frame. A timber member remains above this, together with a 2-light casement. The rear gabled stair tower has a 6-pane light at first floor and a 2-light casement with wide ovolo mullions, iron stanchions and timber lintel at the second floor. A single storey lean-to with double Roman tiles sits in the angle with the main house to the right. Further to the right is a 2-light 19th century casement serving the cellar, a ground floor 3-light casement with ovolo mullions, timber lintel and leaded lights, and a 2-light 19th century casement with timber lintel at first floor. Kneelers adorn the roof verges of the gable.

Internally, the ground floor room to the right contains a very deep-chamfered and stopped beam, together with a fireplace featuring a heavy chamfered lintel and a 4-centred arched door to the right, possibly formerly part of the fireplace. A 4-centred arched door leads to the rear wing, which also displays deep-chamfered beams. The end room to the left has a moulded and stopped door frame with ovolo-moulded windows inside. An end fireplace with a stone depressed 4-centred arched head is present.

To the rear left of the centre room, a stone newel stair descends to the cellar, possibly marking the site of the original stair to the first floor. To the rear right, an open-well stair in the tower rises to attic level with splat balusters, moulded grip handrail and moulded string, though the roof structure is 19th century.

At first floor level, the room to the right shows the line of a former roof in plasterwork. A similar moulded door frame with a heavy plank and batten door with strap hinges is present, though the beam chamfers are narrower than those at ground floor level. A similar door leads to the central room and a passage along the rear of the house. The end room to the left has a similar stone fireplace to that at ground floor level but repositioned to the left, with a hollow chamfer in the moulding.