Withan Farmhouse

SW 72 NE ST MARTIN -IN-MEANAGE 2/242 Withan Farmhouse -

II

Farmhouse. Circa early C18, extended circa early C19. Painted rubble walls with some granite dressings, slate sills. Scantle slate roofs with some original hand-made crested clay ridge tiles. Cast iron ogee gutters. Brick chimneys over original ends including gable end of parlour wing at front; the original right hand chimney is now axial since the C19 extension to the right, the original gable end now being a cross party wall. L-shaped plan plus small outshut at rear of original hall/kitchen. Originally a 4- room plan with large hall/kitchen right; cross passage leading to stair right of middle; a small pantry left of the stair with passage in front; inner parlour with panelled dado, left, and principal parlour in wing at right angles in front of inner parlour. Extended at the right of the hall kitchen by a large room possibly a dairy and with a pantry outshut behind the hall/kitchen. 2 storeys. Overall fairly regular 4-window south-east front with gable end of parlour wing projecting on left hand side. The original front has 2 windows to 1st floor as does the front of the C19 extension, right. The doorway is towards the angle with the parlour. C20 door and circa early C19 16-pane hornless sash of same width over. The hall/kitchen window opening and the one over are wider; C20 PVC window to ground floor but an C18 3-light casement with 8-panes per light survives over. The C19 front has original 12-pane horizontal sliding sashes to 1st floor and C20 PVC window to wide opening at ground floor middle. The parlour has a ground and 1st floor window in the right hand (north-east) wall, circa early C19 16-pane hornless sash to ground floor and C20 window over. The rear has all old windows, mostly horizontal sliding sashes with glazing bars, circa early C19, and the tall stair window is the original early C18 18-pane hornless sash with very wide internally ovolo moulded glazing bars and crown glass. Interior : The C18 parts of the house survive virtually as built. Dog-leg closed string stair with column turned balusters and moulded handrail, fielded panelled doors and dado panelling to the inner parlour. An unusual variation of a C18 farmhouse plan presumably evolved directly from the late medieval 3-room plans which had been remodelled in the C17 with parlour wings added to the front of the higher end, eg. Mudgeon Farmhouse qv., St Martin parish. Except for some window replacement this house is unaltered since the C19 and the C18 stair window is a particularly notable and rare survival.

Listing NGR: SW7441224950