North Wonson Farmhouse

THROWLEIGH WONSON SX 68 NE 3/251 North Wonson Farmhouse 22.2.67

GV II

Farmhouse. Early or mid C16 with major late C16 and C17 improvements, modernised in late C19, lower end reduced in size when rebuilt after a collapse circa 1930. Granite stone rubble with large roughly-shaped quoins, plastered front; granite stacks, one still with its original granite ashlar chimney shaft; slate roof (formerly thatch). Plan: L-shaped building. The main block faces south-east and has a 3-room-and- through-passage plan and is built down a hillslope. Unheated inner room dairy at left (uphill) end is terraced into the hillslope. The hall has an axial stack backing onto the passage. 1-room plan parlour wing projects forward at right angles from the left end (in front of inner room dairy and overlapping the hall). It has a projecting gable end stack and a curving newel stair turret projecting from outer (uphill) side. The main block was the original farmhouse. Undoubtedly this was some form of open hall house but no evidence of this can be seen since the roof was completely replaced in the late C17-early C18. The hall fireplace was inserted in the mid C17 and the mid C17. The parlour wing was added in mid C17. At the same time the hall relegated to kitchen use. It might then have been a Dartmoor longhouse but no evidence survives since the service end room was rebuilt and shortened circa 1930. House is now 2 storeys. Exterior: Main front has an irregular 2-window front of C19 casements with glazing bars and there is one more each floor on inner side of parlour wing. Most seem to occupy original window embrasures and the parlour window has a C17 granite hoodmould with the initial A carved on both labels. The passage front doorway is original; it is a granite arch with a depressed 2-centred (almost segmental pointed) head and a hollow-chamfered surround. It contains a 19 plank door. Roofs are gable-ended. Dairy includes a C17 2-light granite-mullioned window. Interior: The service end room is a rebuild of circa 1930 and the lower passage screen has been removed. The large hall fireplace is granite with a soffit-chamfered and step-stopped oak lintel. A secondary oven to rear, its housing projects into site of former passage. The 2 hall crossbeams have deep soffit chamfers with step stops. At the upper end of the hall the stone rubble crosswall may be an original low partition. It contains an early of mid C16 round-headed oak doorframe. Large dairy crossbeam has plain soffit chamfers. Parlour was modernised in late C19 and no carpentry detail is exposed here. The parlour fireplace is blocked. In a cupboard under the C19 stair in the parlour are the blocked remains of the newel stair. It has a late C17-early C18 plank door on H-L hinges. Roof throughout is probably late C17-early C18, a series of A-frame trusses with pegged and spiked lap-jointed collars.

Listing NGR: SX6736289709