Orchard Farm And Lower Rocombe Cottage

STOKEINTEIGNHEAD LOWER ROCOMBE SX 9070-9170

17/387 Orchard Farm & Lower Rocombe Cottage II

House. Late medieval origins, late C20 renovations and partial conversion of an adjoining outbuilding. Whitewashed rendered cob on stone rubble footings; thatched roof, gabled at right end, hipped at left end, axial stack with rendered shaft, rear left lateral stack. Plan: end on to the road, 3 room and cross passage plan, lower end to the left, hall stack backing on to passage. Originally an open hall house, probably early C16. Details of the C16 plan not entirely clear at time of survey as roof not thoroughly inspected but the right hand end of the house has a medieval roof structure with blackened timbers and it is possible that the house had 2 open hearths (blackened infill on truss between hall and inner room, in the inner room side). The house was probably floored in the C17 with the stacks added but interior modernization has left relatively little dateable evidence other than the plan on the ground floor. Rear lean-to with concrete tile roof probably a C19 addition,lean-to at right end. A rear left range of farmbuildings at right angles to the lower end and parallel with the road has been partly converted to extend the house. The unconverted part of the range is said to have been a blacksmith's shop and has a modern monopitch roof. Exterior: 2 storeys. Asymmetrical 4 window front plus one window to the lean-to at the right end, the eaves thatch eyebrowed over the 2 right hand first floor windows. C20 casements with glazing bars. C20 front door to passage to left of centre. Interior: The hall has a rebuilt fireplace and a chamfered stopped beam against the partition wall with the inner room. A second chamfered stopped half beam in the hall is probably re-sited. The lower end room has a rebuilt fireplace and C20 slender crossbeams with an earlier crossbeam to the passage partition. Roof: 2 side-pegged jointed cruck trusses visible over the hall and inner room. Apex of hall truss not inspected but the principals have a soot crust. The truss over the inner room/hall partition has a collar mortised into the principals, a threaded diagonally set ridge and threaded purlins and the blackened medieval roof survives to the right end of the house, complete with sooted thatch, rafters and battens. The visible truss has a blackened cob infill. An evolved house of medieval origins.

Listing NGR: SX9096970092