Halwill Barton

Halwill Barton is a house dating from the early 17th century, with significant remodelling in 1692, as indicated by a datestone. The house is constructed of stone rubble, with the south-east front rendered and the south-west (left) elevation slate-hung. The roofs are covered in rag slate. Architectural features include an early 17th century moulded granite end stack on the right of the south-east front, a circa 17th century granite axial stack on the rear left, and a 20th century brick lateral stack to the front left. There is a stone rubble stack on the gable end of the south-west rear wing, and a probable late 17th century wall encloses the courtyard on the north-east side.

The house is arranged around a courtyard. The front range originally consisted of two rooms and a cross passage. The room to the left was heated by a stack on the front, and the room to the right by an end stack. A circa 19th century staircase replaced an earlier turreted staircase that projected to the rear of the passage. A lower, two-storey range, probably of one-room plan, was added around the mid 18th century to the right gable end. The rear left wing, dating from the 17th century, originally served as a large kitchen and is heated by an axial stack with a 17th century granite shaft that backs onto the left-hand room of the front range. This wing was remodelled in the late 19th century. A circa late 19th century dairy was added to the north-west gable end of the rear wing. A probable late 17th century service range encloses the north-west side of the courtyard, possibly remodelled in the 18th or 19th centuries, and now used as a shippon with a loft above. A circa 19th century lean-to outshot extends across the rear elevation.

The south-east front has an asymmetrical four-window arrangement. The entrance is on the right side of centre, with a 19th century panelled door and a 20th century glazed porch. There are 19th century two-light horizontal sliding sash windows to the left and right, with a hoodmould and the datestone “1692” in the label above the right window. The first floor has four 19th century two-light horizontal sliding sash windows. The front and part of the left side walls appear to have been rebuilt in the 19th century. A three-light mullion window illuminates the right-hand room on the rear elevation. The south-west wing has a slate-hung north-east elevation featuring an early to mid 17th century granite chamfered doorframe with pyramid stops to the jambs, opening into the courtyard. The north-west wing facing the courtyard has a mullion window and a row of pigeon holes below the eaves and in the gable end.

The interior of the cross passage in the front range is flanked by lath and plaster partitions. A 19th century staircase is located in the rear projection. The left-hand room has a 20th century chimney-piece, and the ceiling beams were replaced in the 19th century. The kitchen in the south-west wing has a 19th century kitchen mantel shelf. Several 18th century two-panel doors are present. The first floors and roof are not accessible.