Ford Farmhouse

ST OO NE KENTISBEARE FORE STREET, Kentisbeare 8/102 Ford Farmhouse - II Farmhouse. Early C16 with later alterations and extensions. Roughcast random rubble masonry; gable end slate roof. Plan: 3 room, through-passage plan house, the service end to the right of the passage. The hall was originally open to the roof, but the other rooms appear always to have been of 2 storeys. The house is of jointed cruck construction: 4 trusses, 3 bays. The hall occupies rather more than one bay and is divided from the inner room by a partition that rises from the floor to the apex of roof, and which stands several feet from the nearest hall cruck. The hall is heated by an inserted stone axial stack that backs onto the passage. The service end is unusual in that it has two fireplaces, one with a lateral rear stack, the other with an external stone end stack. Both appear to be of considerable age, and both are now blocked. The inner room was probably unheated at first, and now has an internal end stack with brick shaft. Stairs to rear of service end. 2 storeys. Exterior Front: 3 window range. C19 3-light casement windows to first floor. C20 3-light windows to hall and inner room, 2-light window to service room. Right-hand end with C20 fenestration. Rear: continuous outshut. C20 metal casement windows to first floor. Interior: hall fireplace with huge Beer stone chamfered jambs, and a chamfered wooden lintel. The axial ceiling beam looks quite recent. Inner room with a boxed axial ceiling beam and a chamfered axial half beam. Roof: 4 jointed crucks with apex morticed and pegged (Alcock type F2); the partition described above is sooted to the hall side only as is the service end truss above the through-passage.

Listing NGR: ST0688008472