Packhorse Way And Little Oak

Packhorse Way and Little Oak are two houses that were originally one property, likely dating back to the 17th century, with some extensions from the 18th century and 19th-century refurbishments. The buildings are constructed of whitewashed stone rubble and have a corrugated iron roof, which was formerly thatched. The structure features a massive projecting stack at the right end, with set-offs, as well as a rear lateral stack to the main block and another lateral stack to the rear right wing.

The layout is U-shaped, with a single-depth main block that may have originally had a three-room arrangement with a through passage. There are rear return wings on both the left and right, which create a narrow courtyard that has been filled in during the 20th century with a lean-to. The rear right wing appears to be an 18th-century addition, while the date of the rear left wing is uncertain as of the last survey in 1986. The house has been divided, with Packhorse Way occupying the right end and wing, and Little Oak taking the left end and wing.

The exterior is two storeys high and features an asymmetrical front with two bays on each side. The entrance to Packhorse Way, located on the right, has a half-glazed front door flanked by 19th-century pilasters and a cornice to the left, along with a 19th-century two-leaf glazed door with margin glazing to the right. Little Oak has a central panelled 19th-century front door with a rectangular fanlight, a two-light casement window with six panes per light to the left, and a three-light casement window with two panes per light to the right. The four first-floor windows are all two-light casements with two panes per light.

The interior of Little Oak has not been inspected but is reported to have exposed beams and a large fireplace. The interior of Packhorse Way features a 19th-century plaster ceiling frieze on the ground floor right and a reeded doorcase. The roof of the main block, although heavily repaired, appears to date from the 18th century, while the rear right wing contains numbered 18th-century roof trusses that are both pegged and nailed. The building is located at the end of Packhorse Way, which is an overgrown track that historically facilitated the movement of wool from Minehead and Watchet to Exeter.