Old Well House

Old Well House

A house, formerly probably a farmhouse, dating from the 16th century with alterations in the 17th and 18th centuries and considerable modernisation in the early to mid 20th century.

The building has rendered cob walls and a thatched roof, which is gabled to the right end and at the front of a shallow projection, and hipped to the left end. There is a rendered rubble axial stack at the centre and a brick gable end stack to the right.

The original plan comprised three rooms and a through-passage, quite likely originally open to the roof with a central hearth, although no direct evidence of this is visible. A hall stack was inserted backing onto the passage in the 17th century, and the inner room gable stack is probably later. The hall was extended at the front probably in the later 17th century. At some stage, possibly the 18th century, the lower end appears to have been re-roofed or rebuilt, judging from its lower roof-line and later roof construction. A 20th century lean-to addition exists at the lower end with a projection at the rear to take a staircase.

The building is mainly two storeys, although the left-hand section is lower and has only a loft on the first floor with no windows. The front elevation is asymmetrical, with five windows to the ground floor and two to the first floor. There is a shallow two storey gabled projection to the right of centre at the front of the hall. To its left the roof-line drops and there are no first floor windows. A 20th century plank door leads to the former passage at the left of the projection. The thatched roof extends over it in a shallow pentice supported on two late 17th century wooden fluted columns with leaf ornament at the top and foliage capitals. To the left of the door is a single light followed by a three-light mid 20th century casement with diamond leaded panes. Sloping buttresses flank the three-light window on either side. The lean-to 20th century extension at the left end has a similar three-light window. The gabled hall projection has a similar three-light window on the first floor with a single light and two-light windows below it. To the right of the projection is a similar three-light window on the ground floor with a two-light window above. Around the ground floor window here and the windows in the projection are several pieces of carved plasterwork in the design of either a lion's head or a Corinthian capital, probably placed when the windows were replaced and likely re-used from elsewhere.

The interior is interesting for its combination of original features and those introduced probably during mid 20th century re-modelling from another house, although some may be earlier. The lower room is panelled with some 17th century panelling and sections of decorative frieze, the remainder being a 20th century copy. The hall fireplace has an original 17th century wood lintel chamfered with traces of hollow step stops. An ornate surround of re-used material has been added, incorporating a column on either side identical to those used in the porch outside and sections of carved wood above the lintel. Running above the fireplace is a chamfered half beam with a pyramid stop which has been cut off before it reaches the front wall. A similar central cross beam is supported at the front on a chamfered wall post which curves out to support it; this odd arrangement was probably introduced when the front wall of the hall was built out. A virtually complete set of scratch moulded joists survives in the hall. At its upper end is a 17th century plank and muntin screen with the muntins and head beam above each plank richly beaded. The original plank door to the screen survives, and a similar door exists at the lower end of the hall. The inner room has a chamfered half beam at its upper end. On the first floor the bases of three side-pegged jointed crucks are visible with threaded purlins, the central one having a morticed collar; there is no roof access above these trusses. The lower end has an 18th century pegged roof with straight principals.

The house possesses a number of good quality pieces of 17th century carved woodwork introduced from elsewhere, in addition to its good features from various periods.