Higher Watertown

Farmhouse, now a private dwelling, likely dating from the early 17th century, with rebuilding at the right end in the 18th or early 19th century, and 20th-century alterations. It is constructed of painted rendered stone rubble and cob, with an asbestos slate roof and rendered gable end stacks. The building has a 3-room plan; the middle room was unheated and served as a dairy, accessible only from the left-hand room, which is believed to have been the kitchen. A rebuilt parlour is at the right end. A 19th-century staircase was inserted into the cross passage to the right of the entrance, alongside a 17th-century winder staircase beside the left-hand stack. A 20th-century outshut projects to the rear. The earlier features are concentrated in the two left-hand rooms, while the rebuilding of the right-hand end makes it uncertain whether it followed the original plan or involved a complete remodelling. The building is two storeys high and has a 4-window front. Modern windows fill the front elevation, including two 2-light casements on each floor to the left of a 20th-century plank door with a gabled porch. A 12-paned window sits to the right, with two single-light windows above. A large buttress is located at the left end. Inside, the left-hand room features a chamfered cross ceiling beam and bressumer at the left end, with pyramid stops. A chamfered fireplace lintel also has pyramid stops. A bread oven projection to the rear has been demolished. A 17th-century timber winder staircase is beside the stack. A plank and muntin screen, 5 planks wide with chamfered muntins stopped at the base, separates the room from the dairy. The chamfered head-beam extends the width of the room, although the survival of mortices is unclear due to two 19th-century doorways giving access to the dairy and passage. A small cupboard and creamery are located at the rear wall of the left-hand room, which also contains old wall benches. The parlour has a roughly plastered cross ceiling beam, with the fireplace concealed behind a 20th-century replacement. The roof structure over the two left-hand rooms survives from the late 16th or early 17th century, consisting of two trusses with curved feet to the rear wall, narrow morticed and tenoned cambered collars, two tiers of threaded purlins, and a threaded ridge purlin, with deep protruding pegs. There is no sign of smoke-blackening.