Seccombe Farmhouse

Farmhouse. Dating from the early to mid-17th century, with possible earlier origins, it was remodelled and extended in the 19th century. The house is constructed of plastered stone rubble and cob walls, with a low-pitched gable-ended slate roof; the lower end is coated in bitumen. It has three chimney stacks: one of rendered rubble at the left gable, a rubble axial stack centrally, both with brick shafts, and a brick stack to the right gable. The original plan may have been a 3-room-and-through or cross-passage layout, with the lower end on the right and a projecting 2-story hall bay. An axial hall stack backs onto the passage, while gable end stacks are present to the lower and inner rooms; the latter may be a later addition. A newel staircase is located beside the inner room stack at the rear. In the mid-19th century, the eaves were raised, the passage was widened, and a staircase was inserted into the front of the inner room. Also in the 19th century, a parallel 2-story range was added behind the lower end and a doorway was inserted into the front of the inner room. The asymmetrical front has four windows. Large, gabled 2-story hall bay projects to the left of the center. It has mid-19th century horned sash windows with 16 and 20 panes; the 1st floor of the hall projection has 4 panes and a stone dripmould. A 20th-century fixed-light window with 9 panes is on the ground floor to the left, with a pentice slate roof extending over a 20th-century plank door to the left of the window. To the right of the hall bay is a 19th-century fielded 6-panel door to the passage and a 20th-century canopy supported on wrought iron brackets. At the rear is an outshut to the center and right, behind the hall and inner room, and a parallel 2-story range with a hipped roof to the left, behind the lower room. Inside, a ceiling beam in the projecting hall bay is chamfered with hollow step stops. The newel stairs in the inner room have timber treads. The hall fireplace is blocked, and the lower room fireplace has a roughly chamfered wooden lintel. Mid-19th century stairs are located in the widened passage. Most of the 19th and some 18th century joinery survives, including doors, cupboards, and the staircase. Roof timbers were not inspected, but the feet of trusses are not visible on the 1st floor; the timbers may have been replaced when the roof pitch was altered in the 19th century. The Seccombe family have lived on this site since the 13th century, making it one of the longest continuously occupied residences by one family in Devon. While some of its fabric may be medieval, its 17th-century form and subsequent development are particularly notable; it has been little altered since the 19th century.