Mortimer's Farmhouse

Mortimer’s Farmhouse is a farmhouse, probably dating from the early 16th century, with later alterations and additions. The main structure is built of roughcast cob on stone footings, with a later extension of random rubble. The roof is covered with concrete pantiles, with a gable end to the right and a hipped roof to the left. Originally, the house followed a typical three-room, through-passage plan, with the higher end situated to the right of the passage. The original roof over this higher end was of jointed cruck construction, with timbers blackened by smoke throughout. A unique feature is a fourth room, likely added later at the higher end, also with smoke-blackened timbers. First floors and chimneys were inserted probably in the late 16th or 17th century. Three axial chimney stacks, originally end stacks, are present: one heating the service end, one backing onto the passage and heating the hall, and one heating the inner room. All stacks have brick shafts. A winder staircase is located to the rear of the hall. A 19th-century dairy and associated service rooms formed a cross wing at the lower end, which was later converted into living accommodation in the late 20th century. Two storeys high, the front has a three-window range, with 2-light casement windows to the first floor and 2-light timber casement windows to the ground floor at the service end and inner room, while the hall has a 3-light window, all with glazing bars. A gabled, pantiled porch fronts the passage, and a later outshut extends from the rear. The converted dairy wing has been heightened, with 20th-century windows throughout. Inside, the service end features a chamfered axial beam with run-out stops, and wattles indicate a former partition. The hall has chamfered axial ceiling beams with pyramid stops, and remains of a plank and muntin screen between the hall and inner room, which is partly dismantled and mostly covered. The fireplace has Beer stone jambs. The inner room displays chamfered axial ceiling beams, one with scroll stops and another with eroded stops. A deeply chamfered, unstopped cross ceiling beam is in the higher end extension. Three jointed crucks remain; the hall and inner room were each of one bay, while the higher end extension is of two bays. The original length of the service end is unclear, but a truss dividing it from the hall shows sooting on both sides, supported by two uprights. A truss between the hall and inner room is also smoke-blackened, and was once enclosed with a partition, sooted only on the hall side. The crucks have cranked collars, with yokes fixing the apex and a diagonal ridge piece. Some blackened rafters survive supported by two sets of purlins.