Hackpen Barton

Hackpen Barton is a farmhouse, likely originating in the late 16th century, with expansions in the 17th century and later alterations. The exterior is roughcast cob construction upon stone footings, topped with a gable-ended and hipped slate roof. The original layout is uncertain, potentially a three-room, cross-passage plan house with the service room to the right of the passage and heated by an end stack. The hall was to the left, unusually heated by an axial stack at the upper end. Both stacks feature brick shafts, coinciding with the building’s two jointed cruck trusses. A hipped roof is present to the left side. In the 17th century, the building was extended by a large room to the service end, its roof ridge line noticeably lower than the main range, and also heated by an end stack with a brick shaft. A doorway located in a nearby outbuilding, which may originally have been part of the house, suggests a possible 16th-century build date; though detailing elsewhere is reflective of the 17th century. The exterior has a four-window front; the first floor contains a small two-light casement window to the left, with the remaining windows being three-light and placed at eaves level, appearing to be 19th-century additions. Ground floor windows include three-light windows to the hall and inner room, and a four-light window to the original service end, all 19th-century casements. A 20th-century timber porch sits at the passage. The 17th-century service end extension has a 20th-century lean-to and one four-light casement window on the ground floor, lacking first-floor windows. Fenestration to both ends is of 20th-century design. The rear of the house has irregular window placement, five very small first-floor casement windows to light a rear corridor, 20th-century windows below, and buttressing. Inside, the inner room showcases an unstopped chamfered cross ceiling beam. A doorway between the inner room and the hall features chamfered jambs and a cranked lintel, possibly dating to the 16th century. The hall has deeply chamfered and unstopped cross ceiling beams, along with an axial half beam toward the rear. A head beam from a higher-end screen to the passage remains, exhibiting hollow step stops and a rebate for a dismantled screen. The original service end fireplace has an ovolo-moulded lintel which may be a re-used ceiling beam. The service end extension has an axial ceiling beam, chamfered with scroll stops. The roof structure consists of Alcock F2 type jointed crucks where indicated, with the remainder being later collar-rafter trusses.