Balsam House

ST7128 WINCANTON CP COMMON ROAD (West side)

8/135 Balsam House

24.3.61

GV II*

House. C17. Local stone lime rendered, ashlar dressings; plain clay tile roof between coped gables, over stone slate base courses; ashlar and rendered brick chimney stacks. 'H'-plan with additions. 2 storeys, South front original entrance - 3 bays with added wing on South East corner of one wide bay, with projecting centre porch. Slight plinth, string course between floors; to outer bays 20-pane sash windows in architraves below, and 3-light ovolo mould mullioned windows under labels above : central porch has a semi-circular unmoulded arch with impost blocks and keystone, then a string course and immediately above panel with sculptured arms of the family who occupied (and reformed the interior, probably of) this house in the 1930s: above a small 2 light mullioned window with label, with the same again to the attic gable; return wing has french doors under label below, 3- light ovolo-mould mullioned window above, but no dividing string course. The North elevation similar, of 3 bays with obelisk finials to the outer gables: between the projecting wings are the stairwell windows, at mezzanive levels, and also a one-storey C20 porch with flat roof behind moulded low parapet. Extensions of C19/C20 to East and North side; on the East a flat roofed linked portion features a small wooden bell turret on its North Wall. The interior almost gutted in 1930s. House owned by a Mr. Barnabie in mid C17, but building date unknown - it was much altered inside by Nathaniel Ireson, but his work seems to have been totally removed, save for the patio walling (qv). (Sweetman, G History of Wincanton, c1904)

Listing NGR: ST7168228520