Yellands

SX 6493 - 6593 SOUTH TAWTON SOUTH ZEAL

8/231 Yellands

GV II

House. C16 and C17, extensively refurbished circa 1840, modernised circa 1970. Plastered walls, granite stone rubble up to first floor level, cob above; granite stacks topped with C19 and C20 brick; slate roof, thatch before circa 1840. Plan and development: L-shaped building. The main block is built parallel to but is set back a short distance from the road. It is built down the hillslope facing north-east. It has a 3-room-and-through-passage plan with unheated inner room uphill at the right end, hall with a large axial stack backing onto the passage and service end room with a gable-end stack. 1-room plan kitchen projecting at right angles to rear of inner room with gable-end stack. Since the roof was replaced in the C19 the evidence for the early development of the house has gone. Nevertheless it probably began as some form of open hall house. If not original the hall fireplace was inserted in the late C16 and the hall floored in the C17. Service end was refurbished in the C17 and the kitchen wing is a C17 addition. Rear passage door is blocked by C20 stairs. Hall and inner room knocked together in C20. 2 storeys. Exterior: regular but not symmetrical 4-window front of 16-pane sashes; most are original but some are horned replacements. Passage front doorway left of centre now contains a C19 4-panel door. Roof is gable-ended to left and hipped to right. Interior: much altered by C19 and C20 modernisations. The only ceiling beam left is the service end crossbeam; a C17 crossbeam, its soffit partly cut back but still with the remains of chamfers with scroll stops. Hall has large granite ashlar fireplace with hollow-chamfered surround and the right side hooded on a granite corbel. Secondary oven with its housing projecting into the room on'the left (front) side. The kitchen block has a large granite rubble fireplace with soffit- chamfered oak lintel and side oven (a smaller version in the chamber above). Plain joist ceiling. Roof throughout replaced in the C19. South Zeal is special being one of the few medieval boroughs in Devon where a good number of its C16 and C17 houses survive to a greater or lesser extent.

Listing NGR: SX6495793652