MEM23583 - West and East Galliford, The Steep, Winsford (Building)

Gallifords retains some vernacular features indicating an 18th Century or earlier date. [1] The western end of the property appears to be depicted on the 1839 Tithe Map for Winsford, within land parcel 623, which also includes a small building to its east at c. SS 9053 3498. This is described in the accompanying Apportionment as "House and Garden", leased by William Fisher and owned by Sir Thomas Dyke Acland. [2] By the time the 1st Edition Ordnance Survey map was surveyed, the property had been extended to the east, subsuming or replacing the small building shown here on the Tithe Map. The extension is subdivided from the original part of the building. This arrangement is repeated on the 2nd Edition map. [3,4] Since the 2nd Edition map was surveyed, the building has been subject to some alterations and extensions, particularly to the rear (north). [4,5] West Galliiford became the village Post Office and manual telephone exchange (serving the Parishes of Winsford, Exton/Bridgetown and King's Brompton) in the 1930s. The entrance to the Office faced the Church gates. West Galliford was the village telephone exchange. The old switchboard was in the living room and the entrance from The Steep was through what is now the main window. When the house was being renovated, the old stone entrance step was discovered, together with plenty of evidence for its former life as a small farmhouse with the remains of a bricked in round staircase (as at Church Cottage (MEM23582) and Thorn Cottage (MSO10790)) and other filled in windows and doors. [6]