Roliphants Farmhouse

Roliphants Farmhouse is a 17th-century or possibly earlier farmhouse, with some later alterations. The walls are rendered cob, and the roof is thatched with water-reed, except for a 20th-century lean-to at the rear which has concrete tiles. There are two external chimneys: one built of rubble on the left-hand side, and another axial stack to the right of the hall, with a third slightly to the right and rear of this.

Originally a three-room plan, the right-hand end was probably lengthened later, possibly originating as an open hall. The house was extended further to the right as a cider house, now converted to domestic use. The exterior is two storeys high, with a four-window front. Early 19th-century mullioned three-light casements are on the first floor, while the ground floor has 20th-century three-light casements. There are two porches with buttressing.

The interior retains a probable original roof structure with high collars and pegged purlins. There is smoke-blackening in the presumed hall, which is located to the left of the centre. A similar, but clean, roof structure is in the lower end, separated from the hall by a chimney wall containing two fireplaces. A thick wall divides the hall from the room to the left, which is thought to be the parlour. A cob-nogged timber-framed partition sits above, dividing the hall roof space from the parlour roof (which was not inspected). The hall fireplace contains two bread ovens, with a cream oven to the left. A 19th-century fireplace serves the lower end, with evidence of a smoking chamber to its right. A rounded shape in the wall in front of the hall stack suggests the presence of a former 17th-century staircase. A wooden winder staircase is now on the far right of the lower end, replacing an older staircase.

The left-hand room's fireplace has an ovolo-moulded lintel, with stops not visible. The hall fireplace has a large oak lintel where the chamfer or moulding has been removed. The chamfered oak crossbeam of the hall retains tongue stops. The oak axial beam of the parlour is roughly chamfered. The lower end room has two roughly-chamfered elm beams, and a chamfered oak beam with tongue stops, potentially introduced from elsewhere, though the stops are in the correct position for the room’s depth.

The building's development shows contradictory evidence, and some conjecture about the phasing and dating remains pending more detailed examination. As with many Devon farmhouses, the phasing is complex and requires further investigation.