The Old Farmhouse

COUNTISBURY WILSHAM SS 74 NE 4/40 The Old Farmhouse - GV II Farmhouse. now house, and adjoining outbuilding. Circa 1500 with mid C17 alterations and additions ("1638" on reset datestone). Minor C18 alterations and mid C20 partial rebuilding. Painted and rendered coursed sandstone rubble. Weatherboarding (probably renewed) beneath eaves and gable-ended scantle slate roof, gabled to right (west). Formerly thatched (evidence from old photograph). Outbuilding of coursed sandstone rubble and cob. Plan and development: 3-room-and-cross-passage plan of circa 1500, consisting of hall, with cross-passage and service room (demolished in mid C20) to right (west) and inner room to left (east). Former continuously or partially open hall house, floored in the mid C17 and axial stack inserted in hall at the same time, backing onto the cross-passage (truncated in C20); eaves probably raised at the same time. Room added at upper end (east) with integral end stack, probably in the C17 or C18. Room(s) also added at lower end probably in the C17. (Noted from old photograph) but they were demolished along with the former service rooms and cross-passage, in the mid C20 and rebuilt. C20 porch to front of hall, now blocked. Probably late C18 lean-to to rear. Outbuilding added to left probably in C18 or C19. 2 storeys. Exterior: asymmetrical 4-window front; C20 2 and 3-light wooden casements with wooden lintels. Pair of C20 glazed doors between front and second windows from left and pair of French casements to right (former hall). Lean-to former porch between first and second windows from left, with reset datestone inscribed: "ANO.DNI/1638." Initials after the date 'illegible at the time of survey (July 1987). Large mid C20 addition to right. Outbuilding adjoining to left, curving out to front. Interior: hall with pair of chamfered spine beams and wall beam to rear, with long stepped run-out stops. Open fireplace. Round-arched doorway of circa 1500 between former cross-passage and hall with pegged frame and chamfered on the lower end side. Former inner to left with pair of C17 chamfered cross beam. C17 chamfered doorframe between hall and inner room, with mason's mitres and broach stops. Roof mostly rebuilt in C17 but at least one pair of circa 1500 elbow crucks survive at the upper end of the inner room.

Listing NGR: SS7566448456