East Densham Farmhouse

WOOLFARDISWORTHY SS 80 NW 6/289 East Densham Farmhouse - 26.13.65 II

Farmhouse. C16 and C17, thoroughly renovated and partly rebuilt circa 1970. Plastered cob on rubble footings; rubble stacks with restored rubble chimney shafts; slate roof, thatched roof until circa 1970. T-shaped building with main block facing south-east and crosswing projecting front and rear on left (south-west) end. Main block comprises hall, through passage and service room of C16 hall house; the service room on the right (north-east) end. (Secondary room beyond service room until demolished circa 1970). 2-room parlour crosswing at upper end of hall. End stack to service room, projecting front lateral stack to hall and axial stack to crosswing. 2 storeys. Irregular 3-window front to main block of circa 1970 replacement casements with glazing bars. Also circa 1970 door to passage with contemporary flat-roofed hood. Windows to front of crosswing and those on the other sides are also similar circa 1970 casements with glazing bars but most seem to occupy old window embrasures. Stacks retain heavily repointed rubble chimney shafts. Roofs are now gable ended. NMR pre-renovation photographs show hip to front of crosswing and a now-demolished 1-room extension to service end. Modernised interior. Service room end completely rebuilt circa 1970 but elsewhere older fabric remains. Lower side of passage is a rubble crosswall which contains a C16 oak shoulder-headed arch. Hall has a restored rubble fireplace with replacement oak lintel and 3-bay ceiling carried on late C16-early C17 chamfered and step- stopped crossbeams. The beam towards the lower end was moved from the service room circa 1970 and set here to replace the internal jetty created by the insertion of a chamber over the passage in an open hall. Roof structure of main block completely replaced circa 1970 replacing jointed cruck trusses. Early roof of crosswing is said to remain but is inaccessible. NMR photograph shows a jointed cruck truss with unchamfered arch-bracing and windbraces. This roof is said to be smoke-blackened suggesting a late C15-early C16 date and a parlour wing open to the roof and heated by an open hearth fire. Densham was the Domesday Manor of Donevoldeshame.

Listing NGR: SS8209509380