Cowhouse Approximately 3 Metres East Of Gooseford Farmhouse

SX 69 SE SOUTH TAWTON

4/147 Cowhouse approximately 3 metres east of Goose ford Farmhouse

GV II

Cowhouse, former farmhouse. Dated 1641 and all features are consistent with this date, partly rebuilt when converted from a farmhouse to a cowhouse circa 1900. Granite stone rubble with large roughly-dressed quoins and sections of large coursed blocks of granite ashlar. Disused granite stack; corrugated iron roof, formerly thatch. Plan: 3-room plan house built across the hillslope facing south. The internal arrangement has been much-altered and a much longer study of the fabric than was possibe for this survey is needed to discover the layout in detail. The right end room has an end stack. It is thought that an axial stack served the other rooms but no evidence of it remains. 2 storeys. Exterior: irregular 3-window front, the windows are blocked. Ground floor right window has been enlarged to a doorway. A plaque inscribed Anno Do 1641 flanked by labels inscribed OL has been reset high in the wall right of centre. Roof is hipped both ends. The rear elevation has been similarly rearranged. Central doorway here has been rebuilt. Above it is the only original window left, an oak 3-light window with ovolo-moulded mullions. A second door to right contains an oak C17 doorframe with ovolo-moulded surround has been reset facing inwards. Interior: has plain chamfered crossbeams. The fireplace has a similarly-finished oak lintel. 7-bay roof of A-frame trusses with pegged lap-jointed collars. Lega-Weekes who saw the house in 1896 before its conversion describes "a gabled porch with a pointed entrance-arch of moulded granite, retaining a very heavy oak door, studded with monster nails, above which was a table dated 1641 and a mullioned window, on whose dripstone-corbels appeared the letters CL". Source: E Lega-Weekes, Neighbours of North Wyke, Park I Trans. Devon. Assoc. 33 (1901), pp 447 - 448.

Listing NGR: SX6756891722