Great House Farmhouse And Flanking Walls

ST44NE WEDMORE CP WELLS ROAD (South side) Theale 11/234 Great House Farmhouse and flanking walls

9.2.61

GV II*

Farmhouse, Dated "WB 1670" on 2 small metal ridge pennants; late C18 and late C19 alterations. Coursed and squared rubble, weathered string at first floor level, coved plaster and dressed stone eaves cornice, hipped slate roof, 2 C20 brick stacks. Bold symmetrical frontage. Two storeys and attic, 5 bays; tall 2-light moulded aullioned and transoned windows, each light with a later casement with glazing bars, some restored, each window to ground floor with a section of brickwork above it. Central door opening, moulded and stopped surround, ribbed and studded door. Left return in conforming style, except centre first floor window with C17 leaded lights; again a central door opening in a moulded and stopped surround; each door opening with a slated pentice on 2 wooden columns. Many C17 interior features; very fine well staircase rising to the attic, moulded handrail, pierced baluster panels with carved serpents, newel posts with elaborate pendants and finials; on the stairs two C17 oil paintings, one a symbolic religious scene in the Flemish style, The other a Roman head; many C17 and C18 doors and architraves, particularly that to left ground floor room repeating the motifs of the staircase on its semi-circular head; dog gate to stairs, again with elaboratate carving, one gate missing at time of resurvey (April 1984); fireplaces to ground and first floor in moulded and stopped stone surrounds with 4-centred heads, some with moulded cornice shelves; paired window shutters to the majority of ground floor windows. Section of rubble wall to each side of frontage, each with a circular opening in a dressed stone surround. (N Pevsner, Buildings of England, 1958).

Listing NGR: ST4538746449