Tillerton Farmhouse

SX 79 NE 6/17

CHERITON BISHOP Tillerton Farmhouse

GV II*

Farmhouse. Probably early C16 origins, improved and extended in late 016 and early C17 with some C18 and C19 modernisations. Plastered cob on rubble footings; stone and cob stacks with C19 brick tops; wheat reed thatched roof. Long, low, 2 storey building with upper floor largely in roofspace. Originally a 3-room-and- through-passage plan with small inner room to north-west (left of south-west facing front) and long service end, the latter a result of 1 or 2 extensions. Large lateral stack projecting to front of hall and gable end stacks. Rear of passage now occupied by C19 winder stair blocking original back door. Irregular front with hall stack left of centre and passage door immediately to right. To left 2 light casements with glazing bars to hall, inner room and chamber over hall, the latter rising into the eaves; to right a horizontal sliding sash at extreme right end and a small window right of front door and single first floor 3-light casement rising into eaves, 5 pigeon-holes with slate landings are cut into cob under eaves at left end. Well-preserved interior. Hall has oak plank and muntin screen with moulded head beam at upper end and inner chamber jettied over a large framed crosswall on moulded bressumer propped on (possibly later) curving oak brackets. Remains of oak plank-and-muntin screen also at lower end. Large granite fireplace with ovolo-moulded oak lintel in front wall, its small window in left corner apparently part of C19 brick refurbishment. 2-bay roof carried on side-pegged jointed cruck truss. Early C17 flooring with double ovolo moulded crossbeams with scroll stops carved as leaves. A contemporary cornice of carved wood applied to chimney breast has paired leaf decoration flanked by rosettes. C20 rear hall window reuses early C17 iron casement with square leaded panes and shaped iron catch. In service end roof is inaccessible but 3 exposed cross beams to ground floor; inner 2 have deep chamfers with early C17 stops. In C18 service end apparently extended 1 bay with plain finished cross beam and contemporary end fireplace, now blocked. C18 rearrangement apparently included small dairy off passage and blocked remains of door to front (now including small window) and blocked square sectioned mullion window to rear show from this period. Inner room fireplace and other early features remain hidden. A fine unmodernised example of a multi-phase Devon farmhouse.

Listing NGR: SX7910695150