East Graddon Farmhouse

East Graddon Farmhouse

Farmhouse, dating to circa 1500 with a probable mid to late 16th century addition and early 17th century alterations, modernised in the late 20th century. The front has rendered cob walls while the rear shows exposed rubble. The roof is gable-ended thatch with a hipped asbestos slate roof covering the former shippon. Chimneys include a rendered rubble axial stack with dripmoulds, raised in brick; a brick gable-end stack to the wing; and a 20th century rendered stack at the rear of the former shippon.

The building follows a three-room-and-through-passage plan, formerly with a shippon at the lower right end. Late 20th century conversion of the shippon prevents certain identification of the house as a true longhouse. It was originally an open hall house with a central hearth, the lower end also open to the roof, though it is uncertain whether the inner room was similarly open as its roof timbers have been replaced. A thick wall divides the hall from the inner room on the ground floor but does not continue above. An unusual feature is an early wing added at the front of the higher end of the hall, appearing to have been two storeys from the start given an early first-floor doorway, though this raises questions about the flooring over of the hall into which the doorway opens. It is possible the doorway served as ladder access into a chamber from the still-open hall, as the ceiling beams do not suggest particularly early flooring over. The insertion of the hall stack against the passage and the flooring over more likely occurred in the early 17th century. The inner room remained unheated; the ground floor room of the wing was probably used as a parlour with a fireplace in its end wall. Late 20th century modernisation incorporated conversion of the shippon but otherwise involved little alteration to the plan.

Exterior: The house is two storeys with an asymmetrical two-window front. The wing projects to the left of centre; the converted shippon at the right-hand end has three late 20th century dormer windows. Otherwise, early to mid 20th century one and two-light casements are present, with two tall casements on the inner face of the wing. A 20th century part-glazed door sits to the right of centre with a thatch doorhood. To the left of the wing is another two-light casement on the ground floor. The rear elevation has an early 20th century lean-to left of centre.

Interior: The hall and passage have chamfered cross beams with straight-cut stops. The hall fireplace retains its cloam oven, though the soffit of its lintel has been cut into. The front wing has chamfered ceiling beams with straight-cut stops and a similar lintel to a smaller fireplace, also with a cloam oven. The inner room has similar ceiling beams. On the first floor is a low doorway into the wing with an original four-centred arch chamfered doorframe.

Roof: Over the wing are two pairs of probably raised crucks, one resting on a wall-post, with threaded purlins. Where the wing joins the main range is a tie beam with stud partition above; no access exists to the roof space over the wing. Over the hall and passage are two more cruck trusses, probably also raised crucks with threaded purlins, diagonal ridge and cranked collars halved onto the principals with dovetail joints. All are heavily smoke-blackened. The roof structure over the higher end has been replaced, probably in the 18th century.

This is a well-preserved late medieval farmhouse in an area where few survive, notable for its unusual plan form.