Yeo Old Farmhouse

SHEEPSTOR SX 56 NE 18/106 Yeo Old Farmhouse - - II*

Unoccupied farmhouse now in use as shippon. Dated 1610. Part rendered stone rubble walls. Gable ended slate roof. One rubble stack at left gable end. Plan: L-shaped plan originally with 2 equal-size rooms to front range probably with central passage which led to a stair turret at the rear. To the right of the stair projection is 1-room plan wing, unheated on ground floor, probably service room. The 2 principal front rooms were both heated by gable end fireplaces and the 3 1st floor rooms were also all heated. The house is likely to have been abandoned in the later C19 or early C20 and the rooms of the front range were knocked into one room for use as a shippon with store above. Exteior: 2 storeys. Symmetrical 3-window front with central gabled 2 storey porch and small gables over 1st floor windows. Windows all original chamfered granite mullion windows, 3-light to the 1st floor, 4-light to the ground floor. The porch has a 4-centred granite arched doorway with broad chamfer and square hoodmould, carved in its spandrels is the date 1610 and the initials I.W.T. 4-centred arched granite inn er doorway to porch. Above the outer doorway is a small granite framed recess, now empty, the purpose of which is unclear. Wing at rear of right-hand side is partially reduced in height and also retains its granite mullion windows. In the angle of its inner face is the stair turret which has a parallel roofline to the front range and a 2-light granite mullion window. Interior: Although the internal partitions have been removed from the front range and the ceiling has been renewed the original fireplaces survive on each floor with chamfered granite jambs and lintel, one of the 1st floor fireplaces has a wooden lintel. The original staircase has been removed. One original roof truss survives with curved feet , morticed cranked collar and threaded purlins. This building is important for two reasons; small early C17 gentry houses such as this of one build are unusual in Devon and this is a particularly early example of a completely symmetrical facade. Furthermore this facade is perfectly preserved and the main fabric of the house, despite the removal of some internal features, is intact and has no significant additions.

Listing NGR: SX5511066951