Shute'S Farmhouse

This is a mid-15th century farmhouse, originally an open-hall house with a cross passage. It is constructed of coursed Lias rubble stone with a plinth of dressed Forest Marble. The roof was originally thatched but was raised and is now tiled with pantiles; brick chimney stacks are also present. The building has a linear, three-cell plan.

The front elevation, facing north-east, is three bays wide, featuring gable end stacks and a central ridge stack with a moulded drip course. The main entrance is slightly left of centre, consisting of a four-plank door with strap hinges within a four-centred-arched doorway with jambs. A 17th-century stone mullioned window is to the left, and remains of a further mullioned window are visible on the first floor. A 19th-century door has been inserted on the right-hand end. The rear elevation has irregular window placement and shows evidence of patching.

Inside, a small section of the original plank and muntin screen remains, with surviving top rails and evidence of a former doorway to the service end. The former open hall is to the right of the cross passage, featuring exposed chamfered ceiling beams and a large fireplace with a bread oven set into a substantial stone stack. A staircase has been added to the west wall, and remains of a timber and wattle and daub partition are present at the north end of the hall, alongside further chamfered ceiling beams. The first floor displays exposed jointed cruck roof trusses with arch braces. The two original mid-15th century trusses remain, featuring jointed crucks with arch-braced collars decorated with ogee carving. These trusses are smoke blackened. Evidence suggests the presence of trenched purlins, though they no longer survive. A plain, A-frame truss, dated to the late 16th century, is located at the north end.

The farmhouse is designated at Grade II for being a mid-15th century former open-hall house with a cross passage, for retaining important historic fabric like the original four-centred-arched entrance doorway and plank entrance door, and for containing the original roof trusses which have been firmly dated to the mid-15th century. The later alterations, including the 17th-century inserted stack and ceiling, also contribute to the building’s interest.