Strongs Cottage

CHRISTOW DRY LANE, Christow SX 88 NW 2/103 Strongs Cottage GV II House. Circa early C16 origins, remodelled in the C17, some late C20 alterations. Whitewashed rendered cob; thatched roof, hipped at left end, gabled at right end ; left end stack with rendered shaft, axial stack with granite shaft, rear right lateral stack. Plan: A late medieval open hall house in origin, remodelled in the circa early C17 as a 3 room and through passage plan house, lower end to the right, hall stack backing onto passage. In the late C20 a dog-leg stone stair has been introduced into the passage. Exterior: 2 storeys. Asymmetrical 3 window front, the eaves thatch eyebrowed over the 3 first floor windows ; C20 door to left of centre, former doorway to through passage to right of centre replaced by window ; C20 fenestration including metal- framed windows in enlarged embrasures. Rear elevation blind except for 1 first floor 2-light casement ; gabled C20 porch to rear of through passage. The left return of the house has 3 granite corbels of unknown function, projecting from the end wall about 1 metre from the ground. Interior: Good survival of C16 and C17 carpentry and joinery. The granite ashlar back of the hall fireplace with plinth and cornice shows in the passage, remainder of hall/passage partition made up of oak plank and muntin screen with a doorframe with a chamfered segmental arched lintel. The passage has exposed chamfered stopped joists some truncated for the insertion of the C20 stair. Oak plank and muntin screen between passage and lower end room with a doorframe with a chamfered segmental arched lintel. The hall has an open fireplace with granite jambs and lintel, a C19 brick- lined bread oven, muntin screen at the higher end with chamfered muntins. Good shouldered doorframe in screen to inner room. The narrow inner room has a blocked fireplace, screen plastered-over on inner room side. The lower end room has a chamfered crossbeam and open fireplace with a replaced lintel. Roof: 2 side-pegged jointed cruck trusses with a diagonaly-set ridge. Apex of roof not inspected throughout but thoroughly smoke-blackened and complete with sooted rafters, battens and thatch over hall and lower end, and likely to be sooted throughout its lenght. An evolved house of medieval origins, group value with Wells and Pale Farmhouse.

Listing NGR: SX8306285375