Description

SOURTON
SX 58 NW

12/111 Bearslake Inn (formerly
- listed as Lake farmhouse)
22.2.67

GV II

Inn, originally farmhouse. Circa early C16, considerably altered in C17, C19 and
C20. Granite and local stone rubble walls. Thatched roof hipped to main block and
rear wing, gabled to front wing. 2 stone rubble stacks, one at gable end of front
wing and one axial to main block; to its right is axial granite ashlar stack with
tapering moulded cap.
Plan: Original extent of plan not entirely clear due to later alterations and
additions, it appears, however, to have been a longhouse. Shippon at right-hand end
with passage, hall and inner room to its left. Solid wall between shippon and
passage which is probably full height. The hall and inner room are virtually the
same size -both quite small - but are likely to have originally been open to the
roof without chimney stacks with a central hearth in the hall, although there is no
direct evidence for this. The hall stack was inserted in circa late C16 or early
C17 backing onto the passage, its ceiling may however have been inserted later
judging from the later appearance of its beams. The inner room axial fireplace and
ceiling are both likely to have been inserted in the early C17; the axial position
of its stack is more unusual particularly as it reduces the size of the room. From
the circa mid to late C17 substantial additions were made at the higher end of the
house with a 2-room extension with axial fireplace and a rear and front wing, of
which the latter was heated by a gable end stack. The order in which these
additions were made is not clear, nor are their exact purposes but kitchen and
service uses are the most likely although it is possible that the front wing served
as a parlour. Probably in the C19 the need for extra domestic accommodation was
reduced with the result that the rear wing and left-hand extension were converted to
use as outbuildings. When the building was converted to an inn in the later C20 the
shippon was turned into a bar and subsequently the parts of the house which had been
downgraded to outbuildings were reinstated as part of the house forming a certain
amount of self-contained accommodation.
2 storeys. Asymmetrical long 9-window front with wing projecting to left of centre
and 1 storey former shippon at right-hand end where the roof-line drops
considerably. 1, 2 and 3-light C19 and C20 small-paned casements. C20 plank door
to left of centre in angle between wing and main range. To its right the wall of
the main range projects slightly with a further projection adjoining the former
shippon which may originally have been a porch now blocked. To the right of that
projection is a wide opening behind which is a C20 part-glazed door to either side.
2 doorways lead into the part of the house to the left of the wing both with C20
plank doors of which the left-hand one is in a pointed chamfered granite arched
doorway. Irregular rear elevation with C19 and C20 small-pane casements, wing
projects from right-hand end which has a 2-light chamfered granite mullion window on
the ground floor. C20 conservatory at rear of shippon and passage. C20 glazed door
at centre. The house is built into the ground at the right-hand end where external
steps lead to a first floor doorway. The wing also has external steps to the first
floor.
Interior. The feet of insubstantial straight principal rafters are visible in some
first floor rooms suggesting an C18/C19 date for the roof timbers. The hall-
fireplace has had a later one inserted into it but a high chamfered wooden lintel is
visible with apparently straight-cut stops. The hall has insubstantial closely-
spaced longitudinal beams which have narrow chamfered and straight-cut stops.
Leading from the hall to inner room is an original wooden shouldered-head doorframe
which is chamfered. The inner room fireplace has rough monolithic granite jambs
with a chamfered wooden lintel which has been cut off at the right end. There is a
cloam oven in the left side of the fireplace. There is a heavy chamfered
longitudinal beam which has hollow step stops. The room in the front wing has
closely-spaced wany insubstantial cross beams with narrow unstopped chamfers. The
gable end fireplace has roughly chamfered granite jambs with a chamfered wooden
lintel which is obscured by a later mantelpiece. The left-hand extension, now the
kitchen, has a fireplace with rough granite jambs and a cambered wooden lintel which
is chamfered with hollow step stops. There is an oven in the left side of the
fireplace.
Despite considerable internal alterations this house retains an unspoilt and very
picturesque exterior and occupies a prominent roadside position.

Listing NGR: SX5283288882

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26459179

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  London 4: North: North v. 4 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Buildings of England)
• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  The Shredded Chef: 120 Recipes for Building Muscle, Getting Lean, and Staying Healthy
• 
  Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  London 3: North West: North West v. 3 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)