Pitmans

ASHTON HIGHER ASHTON SX 88 SE 6/16 Pitmans 11.11.52 GV II House. Late C16 or earlier origins, extended in the C17, first floor largely reconstructed after a fire in 1975. Whitewashed rendered cob and stone rubble; thatched roof, gabled at ends; front lateral projecting stack with granite shaft and bread oven bulge to main block, right end stack to wing. Plan: L plan, forming 2 sides of a narrow courtyard of which Beggars Roost (qv) forms 2 sides. Original plan not entirely clear but the main block is single depth with a large room to the right heated by the lateral stack and a narrow service room to the left, possibly originally a cross or through passage suggesting that Pitmans is the lower end and passage of a 3 room and through passage house, hall and inner room in main block of Beggers Roost. If this is the case, the lower end room in Pitmans was evidently of superior status. There is a 1 room plan wing to the rear of the heated room with some C17 features. Exterior: 2 storeys. Asymmetrical 2 window (west) front with the lateral stack to the right and a thatched timber and glass C20 porch to the left with a front door into the putative passage. Small pane timber casement windows. The right return of the house, overlooking the lane through Higher Ashton has an asymmetrical 3 window elevation with the eaves thatch eyebrowed over the 2 right hand first floor windows. Doorway with timber door directly into wing, approximately in centre; 2-light C20 small pane timber casements. There is one, probably C17, window with chamfered jambs to the rear of the wing. Interior: Features of interest on the ground floor: the putative passage has an oak plank and muntin screen to the right hand with a good doorframe with a cambered chamfered lintel; muntins chamfered and stopped on the side of the heated room. A chamfered crossbeam to the left of the passage retains pegholes, possibly for the muntins of a former screen. The principal room has a chamfered axial beam with exposed chamfered stopped joists, some joists are 1970s copies following the fire. Fine granite fireplace with hollow-chamfered jambs and a chamfered nowy-headed granite lintel below a granite relieving arch. C19 bread oven cut through lintel. The ground floor room of the wing has a rough axial beam and open fireplace with rubble jambs, a re-used granite lintel and a bread oven. One corner of the room is panelled with C17 panelling which has evidently been re-sited. Small C17 2-light timber mullioned window, blocked externally, on rear wall. Roof: Entirely replaced after fire of 1975. Pitmans is on the perimeter of the churchyard and forms a group with Beggars Roost and the former wheelwright's shop.

Listing NGR: SX8565584704