Pednavounder Farmhouse

Farmhouse. Built in the 18th century, with extensions added around the early 19th century. The farmhouse is constructed from local killas and granite rubble, with dressed granite quoins and lintels. It has a steeply pitched asbestos slate roof which slopes lower at the rear, with brick chimneys at the gable ends. A section of grouted scantle slate roof with hipped ends covers an adjoining dairy and outbuilding. The original design was a double-depth plan with two front rooms flanking a cross passage that leads to a central stair hall and shallow service rooms at the rear. In the 18th century, it was extended to include a two-story dairy and a shippon (animal shelter) range to the left. This projecting range extends further forward than the main house. An outshut is located behind the right side, creating a rear entrance porch to the house and a passage connecting the dairy, the shippon, and the rear service room of the house. The original rear door of the house, located beside the stair, is now blocked. The dairy is now used as the kitchen, whilst the shippon remains a farm building. A storage loft is situated above both the dairy and shippon; the loft above the dairy is now incorporated into the house. The shippon at the left-hand end is built into a bank, and a lean-to earth closet is situated at mid-floor level at the end of the shippon. The south-facing front has three windows and a nearly central doorway with a ledged door containing integral panes. Similar windows are located in the dairy (now kitchen) on the left. The rear of the house features some 12-pane horizontal sliding sash windows. The interior retains few alterations since the 19th century and includes features from the 18th century, such as ovolo moulded beams and a dog-leg staircase. The original roof structure is believed to be present, although it has not been inspected. This is an interesting adaptation of an 18th-century farmhouse to incorporate a dairy and shippon, resembling a longhouse derivative.