Quince House Including Garden Wall To The North East

Quince House is a house dating to circa the late 18th century, likely remodelling an earlier structure, possibly from the 17th century. It includes a garden wall to the north-east. The construction is colourwashed rendered cob on stone rubble footings, with a bitumen-painted slate roof and gabled ends. Brick chimney shafts replace earlier elements. The plan is an overall 'U' shape, with a main east-facing range, a left of center entrance into a passage with a rear stair, a rear left (south-west) wing and a rear right (north-west) wing. A rear center lean-to provides a passageway between the wings, each wing containing a service stair. The exterior presents an asymmetrical four-window front with a cornice including a modillion frieze. A late 18th-century doorcase features pilasters, an entablature, and panelled reveals, with a six-panel door with fielded panels. The front has a set of likely late 18th-century sash windows with older glass, 16 panes except for the window above the front door, which has 12 panes. A small-pane window on the north return and a similar window on the rear (west) elevation illuminate the stair. The rear elevation also has a small arched first-floor window. A gabled porch connects the main range and the kitchen wing, providing access to the lean-to passage. The rear wings are fitted with late 19th- or 20th-century timber casement windows. Attached to the house at the north-east corner is an unusually tall rendered cob wall with a slate capping, serving as the garden boundary. Inside, a notable feature is a probably late 18th-century stick baluster stair with a ramped, wreathed handrail, a decorated string, and a round-headed niche in the stairwell wall. Chimney-pieces are 20th-century replacements. A roughly-chamfered crossbeam with run-out stops and a six-panel first-floor door within the south-west wing suggest an 18th-century origin. The roof was not inspected. It is a gentry house with a good 18th-century front elevation and a plan form unaltered since the 19th century.