Beardon

Beardon is a house dating from the late 16th century, probably built on earlier foundations. It stands in Boyton with stone rubble construction, including a cob rear wing, and a slate roof with gable ends. The chimneys are projecting stone rubble lateral and end stacks with brick shafts.

The house follows a 3-room and through passage plan, with the ground sloping noticeably down to the right. The entrance is positioned right of centre, with the hall on the higher left side heated by a rear lateral stack, an inner room beyond also heated by a rear lateral stack, a large service room on the lower right heated by an end stack, and a service wing to the rear heated by an end stack, creating an overall L-shaped plan. The partition walls to the main range are thin, and there may be remains of a screen on the higher side of the passage. A small turretted stair probably adjoined the higher left side of the hall fireplace. Floor levels vary considerably following the slope of the ground.

The hall was remodelled in the early 18th century. In the late 19th century, a stair was inserted in the passage, blocking the rear door, and the roof to the front range was replaced, the eaves probably being raised. The front elevation shows evidence of rebuilding with several partly blocked openings.

The exterior presents 2 storeys with an asymmetrical 5-window front. A buttress stands to the left of centre and the entrance is to the right of centre with a 20th-century door. Windows include 19th and 20th-century sashes and 19th-century double sashes placed asymmetrically. An early 18th-century sash with thick glazing bars appears above the stair on the rear elevation.

Internally, a wide passage contains a blocked rear door opening and a late 19th or early 20th-century stair inserted to the rear. On the higher left side are remains of two multiple moulded muntins, possibly comprising part of a hall screen. The hall retains a moulded cornice and part of raised and fielded panelling from the early 18th-century remodelling, with this room probably fully panelled in the 18th century. The chimney-piece is later, with reset Delft tiles of 17th-century type. A turretted stair was probably accommodated on the left side of the fireplace, corresponding with a straight joint on the wall behind, which contains a probably reset multiple moulded lintel, and a large cupboard on the first floor. The inner room features a circa late 18th-century moulded dentilled cornice.

The lower end on the right has a massive waney curved joist roughly cut and a smaller boxed joist. The rear wing contains 17th-century heavy chamfered ceiling beams and a large partly blocked fireplace. Several 18th-century 2-panelled doors appear throughout the house.

The main range roof was re-roofed in the late 19th century when the eaves were probably raised. The lower roof above the rear wing was not inspected.

The building was marked by Norden in circa 1584 as Berdon, seat of Richarde Lovice. Hearth tax returns for 1664 record two hearths.