Meacombe Farmhouse

MORETONHAMPSTEAD SX 78 NW 1/92 Meacombe Farmhouse - - II

Farmhouse. Possibly C16 origins, existing features are C17. Considerably altered probably in C19. Rendered granite rubble walls. Thatched roof, gabled to right end, hipped to front of wing. 4 chimney stacks; gable end stack to wing rendered, probably brick; rendered stone stack to left-hand end of house; central axial and right gable stacks are of granite blocks with granite capping. Originally 3-room-and-through-passage plan with axial hall stack backing onto passage and gable end fireplaces to inner and lower rooms; newel staircase at rear of hall in projection. Wing added at front of lower end probably in C18 and was subsequently used as cider house on ground floor and wool chamber above. C19/C20 outshut at rear of lower end. Passage has now completely disappeared but blocked doorway revealed at front when render was recently removed. 2 storeys. Asymmetrical 5 window front to main range. Right-hand windows on ground and first floor late C20 2-light casements without glazing bars with part- glazed C20 doorway roughly central between them. Centre left first floor window is 3-light circa mid C17 ovolo moulded wood mullion with central opening casement and the 2 side lights lead paned. To left is 3-light C19 casement with H-L hinges and iron stanchion bars. Below it is late C20 2-light casement without glazing bars. Inner face of wing has C19 panelled door to right under rustic timber and thatch porch. To left on ground and first floors are 2-light early C20 casements with glazing bars, similar single light casement on ground floor gable end of wing. Against outer face of wing are stone steps leading up to first floor, where there is now a window, with dog kennel beneath. To left on ground floor is single light then 3-light C19 casements. Above just below the eaves is metal fire insurance mark. At rear of house is an outshut to the right and roughly at the centre is a semicircular stair turret with small window. In a wall directly opposite the lower end of the house is incorporated an ash house with a loading hatch and beneath it an opening for removing the ash; both have an iron door. Interior: most of the features have been covered up; the lower room has a central axial beam with ovolo moulding on one side and chamfer on the other. There is a similar half beam, plastered over along the front wall of the room. Stone newel staircase at rear of hall. Fireplaces blocked in. Roof space inaccessible but some of the trusses visible on first floor are substantial timbers, probably straight principals.

Listing NGR: SX7271186786