Little Clampitt

Little Clampitt is a small house with origins dating back to the early 16th century. It was refashioned in the early 17th century and underwent significant remodeling in the 19th century, with a rear addition from the 20th century. The building features colour-washed rendered cob and a stone slate roof, gabled at both ends, with an axial stack and a stack at the left end.

The house has a simple two-room plan that reflects its medieval origins. Although the renewal of timbers at the left end has obscured the original layout, it is likely that there was a large heated room on the right side, with the stack backing onto a passage and a narrow unheated room on the left, which was later heated. A smoke-blackened truss suggests that the house originally had an open hall, likely floored in the early 17th century. The addition at the rear creates an overall L-shaped plan.

Externally, the house is two storeys high with an asymmetrical two-window front. There is a front door with a late 19th or early 20th century gabled porch located to the left of centre, which is on the site of a doorway leading to the former passage. The windows are late 19th century timber casements with glazing bars only at the top.

Inside, the right-hand room features a chamfered step-stopped crossbeam and some original exposed joists, along with a fireplace that includes a bread oven and possibly the site of a former stair adjacent to it. The ceiling beams in the left-hand room have been renewed. On the first floor, there is a two-light 17th century timber mullioned window in the right gable end wall, which is blocked externally.

The roof retains one smoke-blackened jointed cruck truss over the right end, situated below later timbers. The crucks are side-pegged, and the truss has a threaded ridge and mortised collar. A fragment of the former hip cruck is embedded in the right end wall, while the timbers over the left end of the house have been entirely renewed.

Despite the extensive alterations made in the post-medieval period, Little Clampitt is part of a notably dense group of medieval and 17th century houses at the higher end of Christow, making it historically significant as a house with medieval origins within this group.