Disused Farmhouse In Yard To North Of Farmhouse On East Of Settlement

Disused Farmhouse

This is a disused farmhouse probably dating to the late 15th or 16th century, with later remodelling in the late 16th or early 17th century. It stands in a yard to the north of another farmhouse on the east of the settlement at St Stephens by Higher Truscott, near Launceston.

Construction and Roof

The building is constructed of stone rubble with a corrugated asbestos and rag slate roof with gable ends. There are remains of a brick shaft serving an axial chimney stack, and a rebuilt brick shaft at the left hand end.

Plan and Layout

The house follows a 2-room and through passage plan. The larger hall occupies the higher right hand side and is heated by an inserted axial stack that backs onto the passage. A newel stair adjoins the fireplace and rises against the side of the stack to provide access to the first floor chambers. It is uncertain whether the lower left hand room was originally heated, although the chamber above is heated by an end stack.

The house appears originally to have had a 2-room and through passage plan with the hall open to the roof and heated by an open hearth. Remains of sooting survive on both blades of the roof truss and on the purlins. The lower left hand room and passage were probably floored in the later 16th or early 17th century if not originally floored. A thick cross wall on the lower side of the passage continues up to the first floor, with its higher side probably originally featuring a hall screen, of which only a partly remodelled doorframe survives. The first floor chamber may originally have been slightly jettied into the lower end of the hall. In the early 17th century, a cross wall containing a hall stack was inserted on the higher side of the passage, replacing the earlier screen, and the hall was probably ceiled then or shortly after. The adjoining newel stair is probably contemporary, providing access to both chambers and possibly replacing an earlier stair.

Exterior

The building is 2 storeys with an asymmetrical 2-window front elevation. Several straight joints appear in the masonry. The entrance lies to the left of centre and is set within a 2-centred chamfered arch, possibly of Polyphant stone, which is slightly lopsided. A stone rubble buttress stands directly to the left, with remains of probable 19th-century window frames lighting the ground and first floors. To the right, the wall breaks forward to contain the newel stair, with a shallow hall bay adjoining. A 1-light casement to the left of this projection lights the upper stage of the stair and features thick early 18th-century glazing bars. To the right, a 2-light casement lights the ground floor of the shallow hall bay.

Interior

The through passage is flanked by a thick cross wall on the lower side and an inserted cross wall on the higher side, which continues to the apex and contains the hall stack. The early timber doorframe into the lower room is chamfered and was probably remodelled in the 17th century from a shouldered or segmental arch to a square-headed frame. The floor joists over the lower end have been partly plastered, with a single heavy chamfered cross beam resting on the cross wall and end wall, and unmoulded joists morticed into the beam.

In the chamber above the lower end, the timber chimney-piece features a probably 18th-century multiple moulded mantleshelf and 19th-century surround. A niche adjoining the chimney-breast contains what appears to be the remains of a garderobe. On the right side of the passage, the early chamfered timber doorframe into the hall may be the only surviving element of the hall screen; the frame was probably remodelled in the 17th century from a depressed ogee arch. The hall fireplace is partly blocked but retains a chamfered granite lintel and jambs, with a plastered ceiling. The doorframe to the stair has been partly covered by a 19th-century frame but appears to be early work, again probably partly remodelled in the 17th century. The newel stair has later timber treads over the original stone rubble stair with slate treads.

Roof Structure

The roof structure above the lower end appears to have been replaced probably in the 18th century, with earlier 18th-century trusses paired with circa 19th-century trusses. Above the hall the roof structure has been altered, with the feet of the principals appearing to have been truncated and the apex altered. Below the ceiling the blades have been grained and the holes for the threaded purlins have been covered over. Above the ceiling the roof structure is only partly visible but appears soot blackened and in part fairly encrusted. The truss appears to have had a diagonally set apex with 2 tiers of threaded purlins, which have been reset and now rest on the backs of the principals. There do not appear to be mortices for a collar, and near the feet of the blades are two small holes which have been covered over.

The farmhouse was disused at the time of survey in 1987. Although in need of repair, care should be taken if any work is undertaken.