Clifthayne Farmhouse

YARCOMBE ST 21 SE 4/156 Clifthayne Farmhouse - - II Farmhouse. Mid C17, refurbished in the mid C19. Roughcast local stone and flint rubble; stone rubble stacks topped with C19 and C20 brick; thatch roof. Plan and development: 4-room-and-through-passage plan facing south-west and built down the hillslope. The room uphill at the left (north-west) end is terraced into the hillslope. It is an unheated dairy. Next to it is a small parlour and right of centre is a kitchen. There is an axial stack between these rooms which serves back- to-back fireplaces. At the right end is the principal parlour with a gable-end stack. There is a through-passage between the kitchen and principal parlour. The farmhouse layout is the result of a major mid C19 refurbishment and much evidence of the earlier layout is hidden by plaster. However the small parlour, kitchen and principal parlour section appears to be C17 and before the mid C19 the kitchen was the only heated room. The house is 2 storeys with lean-to outshots to rear. Exterior: irregular 4-window front of mostly C20 casements with glazing bars but includes one C19 casement containing rectangular panes of leaded glass first floor right end. There are more similar C19 windows at the back. The passage front doorway is right of centre and contains a C20 part-glazed door behind a contemporary gabled porch. The main roof is gable-ended. Interior: the small parlour and kitchen both have C17 crossbeams; they have deep chamfers with step stops. The principal parlour crossbeam is contemporary but has narrow chamfers and step stops. The kitchen has a large stone rubble fireplace with a chamfered and step-stopped oak lintel. The other 2 fireplaces are C19 and built of brick. The joinery detail throughout the house is largely C19 although some of the plank doors are probably older. The roof was not inspected but straight principals show below the first floor ceiling and their scantling is large enough to suggest C17 A-frame trusses.

Listing NGR: ST2503211268