Middlecott Farmhouse

MORCHARD BISHOP SS 70 NE 5/114 Middlecott Farmhouse - - II

Farmhouse. Probable C16 core, rebuilt and enlarged in early-mid C17, modernised circa 1980. Plastered cob on rubble footings; rubble stacks topped with C19 and C20 brick; circa 1980 slate roof (formerly thatch). South facing main block with cross wing at left (west) end projecting to rear. Main block apparently derived from C16 3-room-and-through-passage house with inner room at right (east) end. Service room replaced in early C17 by crosswing of higher quality rooms, 2 with lobby between C18 stair block built to rear of passage in angle of wings now contains circa 1980 stairs. Projecting rear lateral stack to hall, projecting lateral stack to front room of cross wing and projecting gable end stack to rear room of cross wing. 2 storeys. Irregular 3 window front of casements of various size and date, including circa 1980 PVC windows at left end and late C19-early C20 timber casements with glazing bars at right end. Passage door left of centre and secondary service door to former inner room (right of centre), both containing C20 plank doors with small lozenge windows. Left room in cross wing is slightly higher than rest of main block with hipped roof. Roof also hipped to right. Rear room of crosswing has late C19 three-light horizontal sliding sashes with glazing bars on each floor. Stair block includes 3 pigeon holes and has a pantile roof. The chimney shaft of the hall stack includes some early C19 brick. Good interior. Both former hall and inner room have late C16-early C17 chamfered and step-stopped axial beams, the former set rear of centre and latter with broad chamfer. The hall fireplace has a replacement lintel. The crosswing is early-mid Cl7. The front room has oak plank-and-muntin screens to the passage and to the rear lobby, the latter incomplete. Both have ovolo-moulded posts and head beams to the room, chamfers with scrolls on reverse. The 2 crossbeams are plain chamfered and stone fireplace has oak lintel with rebated ovolo moulding and keeled step stops, similar to fireplace in rear room of crosswing. Roof has been raised but some original timbers survive including a closed large-framed truss over passage-hall partition which contains, at first floor level, and scroll-stopped doorway with an early plank door hanging on plain strap hinges. Other early features may survive behind C19 and C20 plaster.

Listing NGR: SS7585807318