Witch Of The Woods House Approximately 500 Metres North Of Cowmyers

SE 27 SE AZERLEY GALPHAY LANE (north side, off)

5/19 Witch of the Woods House approximately 500 metres north of Cowmyers

• II

House. C17 with major alterations 1717 and restoration C20. Coursed cobbles, pantile roof. l½ storeys, 2 bays, with l-bay addition at right end. Central gabled porch with board door. Double-chamfered mullion windows of 3 lights to left and 4 lights to right and narrow fire-window right again. Two 2-light casement windows under eaves. End stacks of stone, with a datestone on the south side of stack to right inscribed: 'W' (George Wells) G M 1717

Bay to right has board door only. Interior not inspected in detail but the house is no longer divided into separate rooms and is only lofted over at the right end. The cross-beam and joists have been removed from the west end. The roof is supported by A-frames with straight timbers of small scantling. The cruck truss described in the previous list description was not visible. Henry Wells of Cowmyers (qv) bequeathed the 'Old Firehouse' to his 3 younger sons, 1 of whom was George. In 1716 one son, William, was selling his share of the house, and it is possible that the whole property was being sold. The datestone at Witch of the Woods may therefore record major alterations by George Wells when he moved there from the 'Old Firehouse' in 1717. North Yorkshire and Cleveland Vernacular Buildings Study Group Report Numbers 272 (1985) and supplement.

Listing NGR: SE2677773203