Mortimer'S Farmhouse

ST OO NE KENTISBEARE 8/84 Mortimer's Farmhouse - II Farmhouse. Probably early C16, with later alterations and additions. Mainly roughcast cob on stone footings; the higher end extension of random rubble, all under concrete pantile roof, gable end to right, hipped to left. Plan: originally a conventional 3 room, through-passage plan house, the higher end to the right of the passage (n.b. the front faces away from the farmyard). This was open to the roof, which is of jointed cruck construction, the timbers smoke- blackened throughout. The unusual feature of the house is the presence of a 4th room, probably added later, at the higher end, which also has a heavily smoke- blackened room; first floors and stacks were inserted probably in the late C16 or C17. Axial (formerly end) stack heats service end; axial stack backing onto passage heats hall; axial (formerly end) stack heats inner room, all stacks with brick shafts. Winder stairs to rear of hall. A former dairy and associated service rooms, probably C19, form a cross wing at the lower end; this has been converted into living accommodation (late C20). 2 storeys. Exterior: Front: 3 window range, 2-light casement windows to first floor; ground floor casement windows, of 2-lights to service end and inner room, 3 lights to hall, all C20, timber, with glazing bars. Porch to passage, gabled end and pantiled. Rear with later outshut. The converted dairy wing has been heightened; C20 fenestration throughout. Interior: service end with chamfered axial beam, with runout (or eroded) stops; housings for wattles indicate a partition at this point, now removed. Hall with 2 and 2 half axial ceiling beams, chamfered with pyramid stops; remains of a plank and muntin screen between hall and inner room, partly dismantled and mostly covered over. Fireplace with Beer stone jambs. Inner room with 2 and 3 half axial ceiling beams, one with scroll stops, the other stops eroded. Deeply chamfered and unstopped cross ceiling beam to higher end extension. Roof: 3 jointed crucks survive; hall and inner room were each of one bay, higher end extension of 2. The original length of service end is not known; the truss dividing it from the hall is sooted on both sides, and the ridge piece is further supported by 2 sooted uprights; the truss between hall and inner room is smoke- blackened to both sides, and was closed at some point, the plaster and wattle partition sooted to hall side only. Crucks with cranked collars, the apex fixed by a yoke, with diagonal ridge piece; some blackened rafters survive; 2 sets of purlins.

Listing NGR: ST0857509390