East Pavington Farmhouse

East Pavington Farmhouse, Burrington

Farmhouse probably dating from the early 16th century, remodelled and extended at the left end during the 17th century, with the lower end rebuilt in the late 18th century and alterations made in the 20th century. The building is constructed of painted rendered stone rubble and cob, with the right gable end left unrendered. The roof is thatch with gable ends to the main range; the 17th-century extension at the left end has a corrugated iron roof to the front and an asbestos slate roof to the rear. Chimneys include a tall front lateral rendered hall stack with offsets, a brick stack at the right gable end, and a rendered stone rubble stack with tapered cap at the left end.

The plan is fundamentally a 3-room and through-passage arrangement with the lower end to the right, with an added single-room range at the left end which is slightly recessed. This plan development is historically significant. The hall and the relatively narrow inner room were originally open to the roof. The inner room was probably ceiled first, with an apparent internal jetty into the hall. Possibly concurrent with the ceiling of the hall, the recessed single-room range was added in the 17th century at the higher left gable end. This may have originally served as a heated parlour with the upper storey used as a wool chamber; the trap door through which bales were hoisted still functions and represents an exceptionally rare survival. The former inner room, positioned between the hall and the added range, was consequently released from its usual function and served until the late 20th century as a salting-house. The lower end was entirely rebuilt, as evidenced by a straight joint to the right of the through-passage and the roof structure; it may date to 1778 according to a date plaque at the right gable end. Its new use appears to have been as a relatively large parlour, while the added range at the upper end was reduced to a storage room and possibly a kitchen, although both the inserted hall stack and the stack to this added range incorporate bread ovens. The original position of the stairs is unclear, though the evidence of the jetty beam suggests a ladder arrangement at the rear of the hall. A principal straight-run staircase runs up to the right of the through-passage encroaching on the lower end, and a second staircase runs from back to front on the inner room side of the hall-inner room partition, entering the hall at the upper end.

Two storeys. The main range has a 4-window front, principally of 19th-century date consisting of 3-light casements with 3 panes per light. The ground floor lower end has a 19th-century 2-light casement with 6 panes per light to the right of a 20th-century door to the through-passage doorway. The added range retains its original fenestration: a 2-light casement with rectangular leaded panes above a similar 3-light window, the outer lights retaining rectangular panes and the centre light replaced in the 19th century with a 2-paned window. A slate plaque at the right gable end bears incised decoration and the inscription 'Elizabeth Pridham/1778/My cousins all when you see/Remember me'.

A 19th-century outshut to the rear of the hall butts into a single-storey gable-ended service wing. The two remaining sides of the L-shape are enclosed by pantile-capped walls to form a small rear courtyard.

Interior: The hall retains a single cross ceiling beam positioned over the upper end of the hall fireplace lintel. Its moulding profile is notable: the upper side has a straight chamfer terminating in hollow step stops, and the side facing the hall has a double roll moulding terminating at the front end in a large hollow step stop carved as a single large leaf. The other end of the double roll moulding terminates about 0.5 metres short of the rear wall, running out as a straight chamfer. This feature strongly suggests the former presence of a ladder or narrow staircase, and the different moulding on each side of the beam also indicates its former function as a jetty beam resulting from the primary ceiling over of the inner room end. The hall has a chamfered timber fireplace lintel, a cloam oven with 2-handled door, and the rear of the fireplace is lined with bricks. A squint is present in the right-hand jamb.

The inner room has no exposed features. The added range at the left end has an ovolo-moulded fireplace lintel, a cross ceiling beam with wide chamfer, original joists, and a trapdoor facility in the rear right-hand corner. The lower end has a single chamfered cross-ceiling beam. The rear through-passage doorway appears to retain cased-in 17th-century jambs.

The roof structure over the wool chamber was entirely replaced in the 20th century except for a single heavy purlin on the front side. Above the hall and inner room are 2 raised cruck trusses with feet entirely boxed in; it is stated there is no evidence of jointed crucks. These originally carried a diagonally set threaded ridge and 2 tiers of threaded purlins. Above these, and resting on the backs of the original principals, are 2 further trusses. The original 2 trusses and the roof structure over the hall are thoroughly smoke-blackened, with signs of smoke-blackening on the gable end wall of the inner room, but the superimposed trusses are clean, suggesting the hall roof was simply 'jacked-up' when the hall was ceiled. Three 18th-century pegged trusses with straight principals and waney rafters are present over the lower end.

This is a noteworthy example of a late medieval farmhouse with a complex subsequent history of phased development. The added range at the upper end is an unusual and remarkably intact survival.