Minchen House

Minchen House is an early 19th-century house, formerly known as The Vicarage. Parts of the rear block may be of an earlier date. The construction is of plastered stone rubble, with some areas of cob in the rear block. Stacks are built of stone rubble and topped with 19th and 20th-century brick. The roof is thatched, with slate to the rear block. The house has an unusual layout, facing north-east, comprising two parallel ranges under separate roofs, with the entrance hall and staircase under a cross roof. The two side wings project slightly forward.

The left, south-eastern wing contains two rooms with an axial stack serving the front room and a rebuilt projecting lateral stack serving the rear room. The right, north-western wing has one main room served by a rear stack. This block is extended by a lower two-room service block with an end kitchen stack. The symmetrical front facade has a 1:1:1 window arrangement and is largely original. Central panelled double doors with side-lights are sheltered by a 20th-century tiled hood, set between the projecting wings. These are flanked by French windows with overlights. First-floor windows are 2-light casements. Most windows feature lattice pattern glazing bars, though the overlight to the right French window has been replaced. Half-hipped roofs and unusually deep eaves characterise the front ends of both wings.

The left side of the house has similar fenestration to the front, while the right side is largely blind except for a 20th-century first-floor window. The service wing has 20th-century fenestration on the inner, south-eastern side; late 19th-century horned sashes (2/8 panes) on the rear end, revealing large, well-dressed footings of red conglomerate stone; and a collection of 19th and 20th-century casements on the outer side. A 19th-century panelled door with a small rectangular pane overlight is found on this side.

Inside, much of the original joinery detail remains, including panelled doors and window shutters with applied decorative strips. The entrance hall features rounded corners and round-headed niches with marble shelves. The rear block contains late 17th to early 18th-century hand-pointed Delft tiles set into the walls. The roof throughout is supported by 19th-century king post trusses. The stair balusters have been replaced.