Beenleigh

House. A dwelling has occupied this site since the 12th or 13th century or earlier, but the existing house is probably 15th century in origin. Around the late 16th century the hall was floored; in the early 17th century a north east wing was added; the later 17th century north range was demolished around the mid-19th century, possibly at the same time as the lower room was demolished and the north east wing extended at the north end and remodelled, probably around 1840. 20th century repairs and a kitchen lean-to extension were added at the back of the hall.

The house is constructed of slate and other local stone rubble, plastered and colourwashed on the south front and east side. The north east wing is entirely plastered, and the addition in the angle has a timber stud north wall exposed on the first floor. Welsh slate roofs with gables to the lower west end and a hipped corner to the higher east end. The gable-ended north east wing has a higher roof with projecting eaves; the addition in the rear angle has a half-hipped roof. The lean-to outshuts are roofed in slate. There is a projecting lateral stone rubble stack to the rear of the hall with a 19th century hexagonal brick shaft; an axial stack (originally a higher gable end) to the main south range, rendered and tapered at the top; and rendered gable-end stacks to the extension of the north east wing.

The 15th century house originally had a two-room plan with a through passage. The lower room to the left has been demolished. The hall to the right was originally open to the roof. The partition between the passage and the hall has been removed. The lower end room was originally unheated, and a stack was inserted later. Around the late 16th century when the hall was floored, the chamber above was provided with a fireplace at the higher gable end. The rear lateral stack may date from the same period, or alternatively it may be an original feature of the open hall from an intermediate phase when the fireplace replaced the open hearth before the floor was inserted. Shortly after the hall was floored, a two-storey wing was added to the higher right hand end, extending to the rear to form an L-shaped plan. On the outside of the inner face wall of this wing are the remains of a fireplace on the first floor, indicating that there was once another wing parallel with the front range, forming a courtyard at the back, enclosed on the left side possibly by a wall or another range—both of which no longer exist. Probably in the 17th century a porch was built at the front of the through passage. The addition in the angle of the wall and the higher end wing is probably 18th century. Around 1840 the higher end wing was remodelled and extended at the back. Probably at the same time in the 19th century, the lower end room and the parallel back range were demolished. Later in the 19th century a single-storey outshut was added to the inner side of the 1840 extension of the rear wing. In the 20th century a kitchen outshut was built behind the hall and passage.

The south front comprises two storeys in an irregular three-window range. To the right of centre is a four-light chamfered granite mullion window; the other windows are 19th and 20th century two and three-light casements with glazing bars. At the extreme left end is the passage doorway, which has a Beerstone round arch with a hoodmould and red sandstone jambs with double ogee moulding with convex stops. A nail-studded plank door, cross-boarded at the back and with cover moulds at the front, fills this opening. A similar but sandstone doorway is located at the rear of the passage (now inside), originally fitted with a drawbar. An open-fronted porch of circa 17th century date stands at the front with stone side walls, slate seats inside, and a scantle slate lean-to roof, possibly retaining original purlins and rafters.

The lower west gable end has a blocked doorway to the former lower room, though the wall appears to have been rebuilt with a corbel set in the gable at approximately first floor window cill level. At the rear of the lower end of the hall (now within the 20th century kitchen lean-to) is a window with a chamfered granite two-light frame.

The east elevation is divided into sections. The left hand section has asymmetrical fenestration comprising three early-to-mid 19th century twelve-pane sashes, a late 19th century sash and casement with glazing bars, and a glazed door to the right with a circa early 20th century glazed timber porch with a tented slate roof. The right hand end of the east side projects and has a higher level roof. This section is two storeys with three symmetrical bays of 19th century twelve-pane sashes, the ground floor windows being larger. A plain central doorway is fitted with a 19th century six-panel door.

The interior contains notable features. Chamfered lintels over the passage front and rear doorways have long pyramid stops. At the lower end of the hall above the former passage is one cross beam and a half beam against the lower end wall, featuring two pairs of rolls and batt stops. The cross beam is positioned on the higher side of the putative screen, and the joists between these two beams are of square section. The cross beams in the hall are deeply chamfered without stops, resting on corbels at one end and later wooden supports at the other; a roughly chamfered half beam stands at the higher end of the hall.

The large lateral hall fireplace has a bracket arch of slate voussoirs and sandstone jambs; the ovens were removed when the passage behind was formed. The ground floor room in the higher right hand room contains three roll-moulded ceiling beams with step stops. The chamber over the hall has a fireplace in the higher gable end wall with a chamfered timber lintel with hollow step stops. This fireplace has a corbelled stack which projects into the chamber behind and is weathered at the top in the roof space, suggesting strongly that the wing was added later. A straight masonry joint at the side of the stack indicates it is an insertion, presumably made when the hall was floored. On the back of the stack in the higher end chamber is a painted mural featuring a plaited wreath around initials.

The hall roof has been largely replaced, but one circa 17th century truss survives at the higher end. Its straight principals have mortices for two tiers of threaded purlins, and the collar has notched lapped joints. Half of another principal survives. The higher gable end of the hall is plastered, while the lower gable end is exposed stone. There is no sign of smoke-blackening over the hall. The higher (right) end wing has a five-bay roof with arched braced collars, two tiers of threaded purlins, and no ridge piece. On the first floor between bays 2 and 3 there is a plank and muntin screen. The roof over the north end of the east wing contains 19th century softwood king post trusses.

Beenleigh was never referred to as a manor and appears to have been part of the manor of Harberton. An archaeological excavation was carried out at the lower end of the house in 1984; a report by D Griffiths provided information that contributed to this description.