Moor Farmhouse

Moor Farmhouse is a farmhouse, dating to approximately the early 17th century, and possibly with earlier origins. It was extended, probably in the 18th century, when remodelling may have taken place. The walls are of plastered rubble and cob, with a gable-ended thatched roof to the main right-hand range and a natural slate roof to the left-hand part. There are two brick stacks at the gable ends, and two axial stacks.

The original plan was likely a 3-room-and-through-passage layout, with a lower room to the left, featuring a fireplace in its end wall and a projecting spiral staircase to the front. The rooms to the right of the passage were probably remodelled in the 18th century, the central one becoming a parlour, both heated by fireplaces in the right-hand wall. In the 18th century, a further heated room was added to the left-hand end of the house, serving as a secondary kitchen, and a dairy and salting room were added in a rear outshot, likely of similar date.

The two-storey exterior has an asymmetrical 5-window front, with the left-hand end projecting and slate-roofed. On the first floor, to the left of the thatched part, are two paired early 19th-century small-paned sashes, a 12-pane sash to the right of centre, and a later 19th-century 6-pane sash to the far right. The ground floor has a paired early 19th-century sash to the right of centre and a 19th-century small-paned 2-light casement to the left. At the left-hand end of the thatched part is a rectangular projection for the staircase, and the addition continues beyond it on the same line with a 20th-century 12-pane sash on the first floor, with an early 19th-century one below to the left and a 20th-century 2-light casement to the right. A row of pigeon holes is below the eaves. A 20th-century glazed porch is to the left of centre.

Inside, the room to the right of the passage features good 18th-century panelling, with the chimneypiece removed. Ground floor rooms have chamfered spine beams with run-out stops. Other features may be concealed. The roof has straight principal rafters, possibly dating from the 17th century.

From 1558, the Galsworthy family occupied Moor Farm, holding a prominent position in Hartland for at least 350 years, initially as customary tenants before becoming owners.