Blegberry Farmhouse

Blegberry Farmhouse, Hartland

A farmhouse dating from the early 17th century, possibly 1627, which has been considerably extended throughout the later 17th century to early 19th century. The building is constructed of stone rubble walls with a gable-ended slate roof. It has five stone rubble stacks with dripcourses and tapering caps positioned axially and at the gable ends, plus a rendered brick stack to the gable end of the rear wing.

The plan shows complex development, with the original form not entirely clear. What appears to be the original range runs north-south and was probably of 3-room plan, though now considerably altered. There is no evidence of a passage, but the doorway into this range opens into a small lobby in front of an axial stack. This stack has a dated overmantle of 1627 on the first floor serving two rooms, though it is uncertain whether this was the original entrance. Behind the right-hand room is a winder staircase in a rectangular projection. A long wing projects to the west of the house and has a stack dated 1634 on the outside, though the stone may be reused and a definite date cannot be assigned to this range; it may also be 17th century. Further additions were made at the right-hand end and rear in the form of a small wing, probably during the 18th and early 19th centuries. The house underwent additional remodelling in Victorian times. A defensive courtyard wall to the south and west of the house (dated 1606) forms part of the complex; the discrepancy in dates between house and wall may not be significant, as an overmantel could easily have been added later, and a destroyed plaster ceiling illustrated elsewhere suggests a date around 1600.

The exterior presents an asymmetrical L-shaped facade with six windows. The first floor has three gabled dormers with late 20th-century PVC sashes and a similar window on the ground floor to the left. The larger north-south range has a 20th-century 20-pane sash on the ground floor to the right with a plank door to its left, set within a recessed addition to the main range. To the left is a large 20th-century 3-light small-paned casement. A small lean-to porch against the left end of the main range has been continued as a 20th-century conservatory around the front of the wing with a glazed door. To the left of the wing, the main range continues with a 19th-century lean-to built against its front. The rear of the main range has early 19th-century 16-pane sashes on the first floor to the right with a later 20-pane sash below. The wing projecting to the left of centre has a tall early 19th-century 16-pane sash. Beyond the wing is the rectangular stair projection at the rear of the main range. A probably 19th-century tall stone rubble wall encloses a rear courtyard with a mounting block on its outer face.

The interior retains most features from the 19th-century remodelling, but still survives a first floor plaster overmantle dated 1627 with the initials WMA within a strapwork surround. Adjoining it is a 17th-century door and doorway, and two 18th-century doors also survive on the first floor.

The Atkyns were one of the more important Hartland families. Two consecutive Williams were recorded with dates of 1578–1608 and 1599–1662. The first was responsible for the courtyard walls, and the second William was responsible for the plasterwork in the house following his marriage to Margery Cliverdon of Titchberry in 1623. He is also reputed to have been responsible for building or rebuilding Marsland Manor in Morwenstow parish.