Buck'S Mill Farmhouse

YARNSCOMBE SS 52 SE 4/256 Buck's Mill Farmhouse - GV II

Farmhouse. Circa mid/late C17 origins, possibly a rebuilding of an earlier house, minor alterations of the C18, C19 and C20. Colourwashed, rendered cob on stone footings; slate roof (formerly thatched), gabled at ends; projecting left end stack with a stone rubble shaft, axial stack with an ashlar stone shaft and dripledges. Plan: Sited in the bottom of a valley, the rear elevation directly on to the road. Single depth main range, facing south, 2 rooms wide with a baffle entrance against the chimney-breast of the axial stack. The present arrangement is a parlour to the right (east) and a kitchen to the left, with left and right outshuts. The kitchen stack, which has a bread oven projecting into the outshut, may be a later, perhaps C18 addition. A winder stair rises to the rear of the axial stack; a probably C18 stair rises against the north wall of the kitchen. A short section of plank and muntin screen between the baffle entry and the kitchen suggests the possibility that the house is late medieval in origin with the axial stack inserted into a former cross or through passage, but this remains unproven. Both the outshuts are later additions, the left hand outshut, now a workshop, was a dairy, and has access from the kitchen, the right end outshut is used for storage with external access. Exterior: 2 storeys. Asymmetrical south front, 2 windows to the first floor, 4 to the ground floor. Approximately central C20 timber front door, half-glazed with glazed panels to left and right. 4 ground floor sashes with margin panes, mostly C19 but one a C20 copy. 2 first floor 2-light C19 or early C20 timber sashes with glazing bars. Bee bole on the front between the 2 left hand windows. The left return has a small opening with a tile sill in the left gable end, possibly an owl hole. The rear elevation has 4 first floor and 3 ground floor windows, mostly C20 timber casements with glazing bars, except the 2-light casement lighting the kitchen which is probably C18 or C19 with glazing bars and iron stanchions. The right end (east) outshut has a tiled roof. Interior: Both ground floor rooms have chamfered crossbeams with step stops. The parlour has a C20 chimney-piece, probably concealing earlier features. The left hand room (kitchen) has a small fireplace with a chamfered lintel and a section of plank and muntin screen as the partition to the internal porch. Winder stair with oak treads and risers, the steps up to the room above the kitchen from the winder may be secondary. One C18 2-panel door on the first floor, good survival of old plaster. Roof: Apex not inspected at time of survey (1988) but although the trusses are said to be crucks the principal rafters visible, which are plastered-over, appear to be straight. A very unspoiled traditional house. Group value with the old mill building to the south-east.

Listing NGR: SS5652524789