The Old School House

SS 70 SW 2/28

BOW BOW (south side) The Old School House

GV II

House, former schoolmaster's house. Early C16 with later C16 and C17 improvements. Plastered cob on rubble footings, and C20 repairs in plastered rubble with brick dressings rubble stacks with C20 brick tops; thatched roof. L-shaped building with 2 room main block facing north, with large axial stack serving back-to-back fireplaces. The larger left (east) was probably early C16 hall. Right room rebuilt in early-mid C17. On left end a probably mid C16 crosswing with outer lateral stack projecting forward. A similar crosswing on right end was demolished in C19 in order to widen Station Road. C20 outshots to rear. 2 storeys. Front of main block has C20 glass-sided porch at left end in angle of the two wings and to right a single C20 fixed pane window containing leaded diamond panes. Similar windows on right gable end and to rear. Inner side of crosswing has C20 curving oriel windows with glazing bars. Gable end of this wing is blind. On outer side roofline now carried down over former narrow gap between the house and adjoining property. Good interior of a house with a long and complex structural history. The earliest surviving features are the putative hall and crosswing roofs. 2-bay hall roof with side-pegged jointed cruck truss and cambered collar. The roof bay towards the stack (west) has a square set ridge, the other bay has a diagonal set ridge. The former is probably early C16, the latter probably mid C16 and built at same time as cross wing. Both sections of roof are heavily sooted indicating that hall at least was open to the roof and heated by an open hearth fire. Crosswing roof on side-pegged jointed cruck trusses with cambered collars and diagonal set ridge. It too is smoke-blackened. Truss nearest main block infilled in late C16 and is smoke- blackened on hall side only. Crosswing floored in mid C17 and the chamfered crossbeam with exaggerated scroll stops is supported each end by posts with jowled heads. Rubble fireplace of same date has oak lintel also soffit-chamfered with exaggerated scroll stops. Hall has late C16 crossbeam, soffit-chamfered with truncated pyramid stops. Hall stack is apparently mid C17, granite built with oak lintel soffit-chamfered with scroll stops. Smaller similar fireplace backing onto hall serving right ground floor room. Roof over this part also mid C17 with plastered probably side-pegged jointed cruck truss with pegged lap-jointed collar and dovetail halvings. The floor levels are very uneven throughout the house and there is a tradition of a lost cellar.

Listing NGR: SS7220501722