The Malthouse

The Malthouse is a house dating from the early to mid-16th century, with alterations likely made in the early 17th century, and further changes in the 19th and 20th centuries. It is constructed of rendered stone rubble and cob, with some timber framing and brick infill to a rear wing. The roof is thatched with gable ends, and a brick stack is located at the left end.

The original plan consisted of a main range with a principal heated room to the left of a wide entrance hall. The principal room was partitioned to create two small rear service/storage rooms, alongside a 20th-century kitchen outshut. An original kitchen is located within a two-storey, right-angled wing that extends to the rear of the entrance hall, creating an L-shaped plan. A large, 19th-century malthouse extends from the rear of the kitchen wing but has been heavily altered in the 20th century.

Later internal alterations have largely obscured the original layout, but the smoke-blackened roof structure indicates it was originally an open hall house. Three cruck trusses remain; one over the principal room, one over the partition between the principal room and entrance hall (rising through two storeys to below collar level), and one over the right gable end which is closed to the apex. It is possible the original range extended further to the right but was modified early on, likely in the early 17th century when the upper floors were inserted, as evidenced by the upper storey fenestration.

On the exterior, the upper storey retains 17th-century windows, including a two-light ovolo mullion oriel window to the left (supported by shaped timber brackets) and a three-light ogee mullion window to the right (with a shallow, bracketted hood). Both windows have rectangular leaded lights. The ground floor incorporates a 20th-century three-light window with a bracketted hood to the left of the doorway, a 20th-century two-light mullion window to the right with Art Nouveau coloured glass, and a 20th-century door.

The ground floor interior has been extensively altered in the 20th century, though earlier fabric may be concealed. A low cellar with a cambered arched ceiling and a central well lies beneath the kitchen, accessible from the malthouse. Late 18th or early 19th-century raised and fielded panelled doors lead to chambers. The roof contains three cruck trusses, with the feet plastered over, so the jointing is not visible. These include two tiers of threaded purlins and a ridge purlin with none of the collars visible. All roof members, including rafters and battens, are smoke-blackened. The cruck truss over the right gable end is closed to the apex with horizontal planking. The rear kitchen wing has 19th-century king post roof trusses.