Higher Brook Farmhouse

Higher Brook Farmhouse is a cob and thatch farmhouse in Tedburn St Mary with a complex building history spanning from the early 17th century or earlier, with extensions from the late 17th or early 18th century, and late 18th century refurbishment.

The main range is likely medieval in origin, though the roof space could not be accessed at the time of survey in 1985 to confirm this. The post-medieval development probably followed this sequence: in the early 17th century, a 3-room plan with through passage was created, consisting of a hall heated from the front lateral stack, a narrow unheated inner room to the right, and a lower end room which may have been unheated. A winder stair to the rear of the hall provided access to a first floor room on the right. Evidence suggests the rear block across the courtyard was an early or mid 17th century kitchen, though its stack has since been dismantled. Around the late 17th century, a second stair was inserted behind the passage, and the rear right wing was probably added shortly after to provide additional accommodation. In the late 18th century, the lower end room was refurbished as a parlour with heating from a rear lateral stack. A single-storey lean-to to the rear of the main range also dates to the 18th century.

The building is 2 storeys with a rear courtyard plan. The main range has a rear right wing, and a rear block parallel to the main range now serves as a store, with a rear left wall completing the courtyard. The exterior is whitewashed rendered cob beneath a thatched roof gabled at the ends. The front features a front lateral stack with set-offs and tall shaft, and an asymmetrical 4-window elevation with the thatch eaves eyebrowed over 3 first floor gabled dormers. The front door is positioned left of centre in a chamfered doorframe beneath a gabled porch carried on posts. A 2-light mullioned casement window sits between the stack and front door. The remaining windows are 2-, 3- and 4-light casements with 3 panes per light, with the hall window comprising 4 lights. Cob walls flanking the garden in front of the house are capped with tiles. There is also a rear left lateral stack and a rear centre lateral stack heating the rear lean-to.

Interior features of note include the hall, which has a chamfered cross beam with step ogee stops with notches and a 20th century grate to the fireplace, probably concealing earlier features. The doorway to the rear stair is chamfered with stopped jambs and a cranked lintel. A pegged doorway in the solid wall partition leads to the inner room. The stair to the rear of the passage features a late 17th century balustrade of splat balusters. The lower end room has a plastered cross beam and a circa late 18th century moulded plaster cornice. Two curved principal rafters visible in the first floor centre room are probably jointed crucks, suggesting a medieval roof structure may exist above, though this could not be verified due to lack of roof space access at the time of survey. The rear block, formerly thatched and now with a single pitch corrugated asbestos roof, contains a 4-light mullioned window (blocked) facing the courtyard and a chamfered timber window frame (mullions missing) at the rear. Smoke staining on the right gable end wall indicates there was formerly a massive stack the full width of the building. The interior is partly floored.

This is a good example of a regional cob and thatch house, conspicuous from the road.