Middle Langdon

The house at Littleham, Middle Langdon, has late medieval origins and was remodelled around 1640. The lower end, to the left, retains late medieval raised cruck construction and was originally likely built of cob, with the walling later rebuilt in uncoursed slatestone rubble. The centre and right sides are of coursed slatestone rubble, with roughcast C20 slate cladding to the left gable end. The roof is slate, with a C20 stone and brick stack in the centre of the front wall and an external stack to the right end. The house follows a three-unit plan, featuring a through-passage in the lower end. It is two storeys high, with a five-window front. The lower end has a concrete lintel over a C20 door, a tympanum arch over a C20 two-light casement, and timber lintels over similar C20 casements on the first floor. Flat stone arches are above similar C20 casements in the centre, while the higher end to the right has flat stone arches over C20 windows above late C19 two-light casements, with a flat rendered arch over a C20 door. A C20 extension has been added to the rear.

The through-passage incorporates hollow-chamfered spine beams with run-out stops, flanked by fine plank and muntin partitions dating from around 1640 and restored in the 1980s, exhibiting ovolo mouldings. The hall to the right contains a cloam oven in a blocked fireplace on the front wall, a round-arched recess for scalding cream, and plane-moulded joists. A C17 plank door with strap hinges, set in an ovolo-moulded architrave, leads to a room on the right, which has a smaller cloam oven in its fireplace. The first floor features a truncated late medieval raised cruck over the lower end. A staircase (now removed) previously rose from the hall to a first-floor lobby, which retains C17 panelling and two-panelled doors. A C17 plaster cornice is in the room above the hall, and a fine C17 plaster frieze depicting running putti holding roundels with scrolls and rosettes is found in the room to the right of the hall. A further room to the right has a stop-chamfered bressummer above the fireplace and a C17 plank door set in an ovolo-moulded architrave with jewel stops, marking the former position of the staircase. The roof over the hall, although not fully visible, displays smoke blackening, trenched purlins, and common rafters crossed and halved over a ridge purlin set in notched apexes.

The house is situated on a slope, whereby the lower end, and its retained raised cruck, is structurally distinct from, and lower than, the remainder of the house. It is possible that the upper end, which once had its own staircase and separate entry, was used to accommodate elderly relatives.