Trefronick Old Farmhouse

Trefronick Old Farmhouse

Farmhouse, now a farm building. Probably 16th century, remodelled and extended probably later in the 17th century and with 19th century alterations. Whitewashed killas rubble and some cob with dressed stone quoins. Grouted scantle slate roof largely reclad in corrugated iron, with half-hipped and gabled ends. Truncated lateral stack and gable end stack with short stone shaft.

Plan and Development

L-shaped on plan. The main range on an east-west axis facing north (probably originally south facing) is of 2 room and through passage plan. The relatively small lower right (west) end room is unheated and the large hall to the left (east) has a lateral stack at the front; the partition between the hall and the passage has been removed. There is no dividing wall between the hall and the long wing behind the hall. This wing, which has a gable end stack, is probably a 17th century parlour addition because a probate inventory of 1640 mentions only a hall, kitchen and cellar. The room in the end of the wing was partitioned off later. In circa early 19th century a stair tower was built in the angle of the main range and the rear wing and the external stairs at the rear of the lower end giving access to the loft above is probably also a 19th century alteration. A doorway has been inserted into the right side of the hall's lateral stack and appears to have broken through a large oven or smoking chamber. In the 20th century the house was abandoned and became a farm building; some of the ceilings and floors were removed and low concrete partitions were inserted.

Exterior

Two storeys. Asymmetrical north front with large truncated lateral stack projecting on left, the right side of which has an inserted doorway. The main doorway to right of centre has waney timber lintel and 19th century flush-panel door. Small casement windows to right and left of doorway and one above. The left hand (east) side has later doorways inserted on ground floor with 20th century plank doors and 3 windows above, 2 blocked and 1 sash with glazing bars. At rear (south) 19th century panelled door to left of centre with external stone stairs to left, doorway to left and stair tower with catslide roof in angle of projecting wing on right which has 20th century sash windows. The gable end of the wing has large later buttress. The west gable end of the main range has doorway with plank door.

Interior

Mostly gutted for use as farm building but masonry wall partition between putative passage and lower end survives. The early 19th century staircase has a stuck balustrade at the top. Some of the roof trusses have halfed and lapped collars but the roof structure has been largely reconstructed. The hall fireplace in the lateral stack has been blocked and its putative smoking chamber or oven has been destroyed by an inserted doorway. Some closely-spaced chamfered and thin ceiling beams remain in the main range.

Historical Note

Trefronick in St Allen is a winged house which apparently had no parlour: an inventory of 1640 for Joan Martyn, widow, whose house it was, mentions only a hall, kitchen, cellar and other domestic rooms. The building is of considerable archaeological interest as being one of the very few substantially unaltered farmhouses for which documentary evidence survives. A Cornish cross was found on the farm and was removed and re-erected in the churchyard.