Little Barwick

SS 50 NE 4/113

IDDESLEIGH Little Barwick

II

House, originally probably farmhouse. Circa late C15 with early C17, C19 and C20 alterations. Rendered rubble and cob walls. Thatched roof hipped to rear wing, otherwise gabled at each end. 2 gable end brick stacks. Plan: original plan not entirely clear due to C19 and C20 alterations but the size of the house suggests a 2-room plan initially open to the roof over tile hall which was at the right hand end. A solid wall divides it from the left-hand room which may be likely to be original and have been floored from the start or it may be a C17 addition as a parlour. In the C17 the house was floored and a stack added at either end, there also appears to have been a central axial stack but it is not clear how this affected the room arrangement since there is room only for a small room at the centre. Probably in the C18 a stable or animal shed was added behind the left-hand room. In the C19 the house was divided into 2 cottages and in the later C20 it reverted again to one property and these changes may have significantly altered internal partitions. Alternatively it is possible that the house formerly extended further at the left-hand end. Exterior: 2 storeys. Regular 3-window front of 2-light C20 casements without glazing bars. Central C19 plank and glazed door under gabled doorhood. Outbuilding wing extends behind left-hand end. C20 leanto addition at rear of house. Interior: right-hand room has large fireplace with chamfered wooden lintel which has straight-cut stops, brick jambs probably rebuilt and brick oven in right-hand side. The left-hand room has a good quality C17 beamed ceiling with 2 ovolo-moulded cross beams with jewelled stops, its joists also have moulded edges. Adjoining the fireplace however in a recess for the window the joists are chamfered with pyramid stops. The fireplace has an ovolo-moulded wooden lintel and a cloam oven in the left-hand side. Roof: the original roof structure survives over the right-hand side of the house. It consists of 2 true crucks of very heavy scantling with morticed cranked collars, threaded purlins and threaded diagonal ridge which has triangular strengthening block below. The original common rafters also survive - all the timbers are heavily smoke-blackened and some original sooted thatch is also preserved. The internal full-height cob wall is also blackened on the hall side. The roof of the left-hand end is inaccessible. The particular interest of this house lies in its medieval full cruck trusses which are relatively unusual in Devon in comparison to the jointed crucks that are much more prevalent in this area. It also preserves some good quality C17 features.

Listing NGR: SS5943907748