MDE21336 - Old Farm House, Wilsham (Building)

Farmhouse. now house, and adjoining outbuilding. Circa 1500 with mid 17th Century alterations and additions ("1638" on reset datestone). Minor 18th Century alterations and mid 20th Century 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 20th Century) to right (west) and inner room to left (east). Former continuously or partially open hall house, floored in the mid 17th Century and axial stack inserted in hall at the same time, backing onto the cross-passage (truncated in 20th Century); eaves probably raised at the same time. Room added at upper end (east) with integral end stack, probably in the 17th Century or 18th Century. Room(s) also added at lower end probably in the 17th Century. (Noted from old photograph) but they were demolished along with the former service rooms and cross-passage, in the mid 20th Century and rebuilt. 20th Century porch to front of hall, now blocked. Probably late 18th Century lean-to to rear. Outbuilding added to left probably in 18th Century or 19th Century. 2 storeys. Exterior: asymmetrical 4-window front; 20th Century 2 and 3-light wooden casements with wooden lintels. Pair of 20th Century 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 20th Century 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 17th Century chamfered cross beam. 17th Century chamfered doorframe between hall and inner room, with mason's mitres and broach stops. Roof mostly rebuilt in 17th Century but at least one pair of circa 1500 elbow crucks survive at the upper end of the inner room. [1] The house was visited in January 2014. It was thought to be long and low and probably medieval, although it was noted to have been altered in the early 20th Century. [2] The buildings were visited in December 2013 as part of the rapid condition survey of Exmoor's Listed Buildings 2012-13. They received a BAR score of 6. [3]