Eliots

A house, formerly a farmhouse, dating to around the early 17th century, with possible earlier origins, and later additions from the 18th and 19th centuries, altered in the late 20th century. The house is constructed of rendered rubble and cob walls, with a gable ended thatched roof. A brick shaft is present at the right gable end and a projecting rubble rear lateral stack. Originally, the house had a 3-room-and-through passage plan with the lower end to the right, now a self-contained cottage. The hall was originally heated by a fireplace on the rear wall. The inner room contains a stone newel staircase on the rear wall and an inserted 18th or 19th century stack on the front wall. A probable 18th century unheated dairy wing was added to the front of the inner room. A 19th century lean-to was constructed against this dairy wing, and a later 18th or 19th century outbuilding wing behind the inner room was converted and altered in the late 20th century. The front of the house has an asymmetrical L-shape. The right-hand range is single-storey, with a 20th century plank door and small window next to it, both sheltered by a thatch hood. The projecting wing to the left has a late 18th century horizontal sliding 16-pane sash window on the first floor, and two single-light casement windows below. A lean-to is set against the rear of this wing. To the other side of the wing are small-paned 19th century casement windows, and a circa late 18th century 16-pane sash window on the first floor. The rear elevation has late 20th century replacement windows. Inside, the wide hall fireplace has had its timber lintel replaced. The inner room has roughly chamfered ceiling beams and a stone newel staircase. Several old plank doors remain. The first floor shows substantial straight principals with collars halved and dovetailed onto them. It is possible that these timbers are late medieval, showing smoke-blackening, although this could not be verified without loft examination.