Bickleigh Old Farmhouse

HALWELL

SX75SE 9/319 Bickleigh Old Farmhouse

II

Farmhouse, divided into 3 cottages. C16 or early C17, remodelled and extended in early C19 and subdivided in mid to late C20. Roughcast stone rubble. Asbestos slate roof with hipped ends. Axial and gable end stacks. Plan: 3-room and through or cross-passage plan, the lower end to the left. The hall is heated from an axial stack backing on to the passage; the lower end room has a gable end fireplace; the inner room has a rear lateral fireplace but it was probably originally unheated. In the early C19 the house was remodelled, the lower end room, which was probably originally the kitchen, was converted into the parlour and the passage was widened to form a stairhall with an open-well stair at the back. The inner room became the kitchen. The 2 storey one-room plan outbuilding addition at the lower end was probably also built in the C19. Exterior: 2 storeys. Asymmetrical 5 window range. Early C19 sashes with glazing bars, the ground and first floor windows on the right replaced with C20 casements. Doorway to left of centre with fielded panel door and open-fronted porch. Rear elevation was not inspected. Interior: The partition between the hall and inner room has been boarded over but is said to be a plank and muntin screen and has an old bench on the hall side. Hall has cross-beam plastered over and blocked fireplace at the lower end. The inner room has chamfered cross-beam without stops. The passage has been widened to form a stairhall with a nice early C19 open-well staircase at the back with stick balusters and moulded handrail ramped up to turned column newels. Other good early C19 joinery at the lower end including parallel doors and a chimneypiece in the lower room. On the first floor some fielded panel doors and circa early C19 chimneypiece in the chamber over the lower end. Roof structure not inspected; the feet of the trusses are not exposed in the first floor chambers.

Listing NGR: SX7866254067