The Skirrid Inn, with attached barn

The Skirrid Inn with Attached Barn

This is a substantial two-storey building with attics, built of thinly coursed red sandstone rubble with dressed relieving arches over the windows and a hipped Welsh slate roof. The main rectangular block is large, with two large lateral stacks on the rear now encompassed by lean-to additions on either side of a projecting three-storey stair tower.

The main elevation has been extensively altered during the Victorian period to create a pseudo-17th-century appearance which the building does not appear originally to have had. The windows are reproduction: the four and eight light wood mullion and transom windows are later additions, as are the sloping-topped dormers. The four light ground floor windows have king mullions with each light containing six panes over eight. The relieving arches show that the ground floor originally had three windows on either side of a central door, and these would have been cross-framed casements, creating a symmetrical elevation. The original door survives—a repaired 17th-century piece with studded panels and iron strap hinges, though the bottom planks have been replaced. Above the door are six-pane fixed windows with a central mullion; the door frame is partly ancient. A continuous drip mould runs over the ground floor features, consistent with the Victorian alterations. The first floor originally had cross-framed casements, with evidence of wall disturbance remaining, particularly the window reveals visible in the main bedroom. This room has an eight light mullion-and-transom window with king mullion, and a second similar window appears to the left of the facade. Deep eaves conceal the window heads. The gable ends are plain; that on the left is partly hidden by the projecting barn, whilst that on the right has a 20th-century single-storey kitchen extension with a Welsh slate roof.

The rear elevation features a cat-slide roof covering the added rooms, which have 20th-century cross-framed casements. The stair tower contains a cross-framed small-pane casement on the half-landing and a smaller modern one at the attic level, with a gabled roof. The main roof carries two large and tall stacks with weathered yellow Victorian brick tops, these would have originally been on the external wall. A gabled dormer in the same plane as the wall stands to the right of the stair.

To the left of the main building is an attached range shared with the adjoining garage. The Inn half features a large cart entry beneath a plain roof, with a small window to the right.

Interior

The 17th-century character of the interior is likely a late 19th-century interpretation of period public houses. The main building contains only four rooms: two bars and two main bedrooms above. The main bar has bare stone walls and a large open fireplace. The ceiling is possibly an original feature, comprising one large cross beam supporting two lateral beams with roll mouldings and bar-and-scroll stops. The joists have these stops but are unchamfered. A similar ceiling exists in the other bar, which is a panelled parlour. Stone flag floors are present throughout. The rear lean-to on the left serves as the Dining Room, with a ceiling of roughly chamfered beams with bar and lambs tongue stops. Beneath this room is a cellar containing re-used ceiling beams, one with mortices.

A fine 17th-century oak staircase rises through the building to the attics, featuring pierced splat balusters, carved corner posts, newel posts and pendants. All the stair beams are stopped and chamfered, an unusual feature. The two main first floor rooms have been altered in the late 19th century and again more recently with the addition of en-suite bathrooms; no visible 17th-century features remain. The attics are unceiled and expose an impressive roof structure with principal rafters of large dimensions, including one re-used upper cruck blade, ties, and two tiers of trenched purlins. The secondary rafters and roof covering date from the late 19th century.

The adjoining range has a roof with principal rafters, two tiers of trenched purlins and a ridge piece.