Description

ILSINGTON
SX 77 NE
3/89 Narracombe Farmhouse, including
- stone wall and mounting block on
north side of front garden
GV II

Farmhouse. C16, or possibly earlier, considerably enlarged in 1836. Solid rendered
walls of stone or cob. Slated roof with deeply projecting eaves-cornice at front
and catslide at rear. Small rendered chimneystack on each gable at front and on
left side-wall at rear. Large C16 granite ashlar stack with thatch weatherings
(heating original hall) on rear slope of roof; added yellow-brick shaft on top.
Next to it is a C20 red-brick stack. Double-depth plan. The front range of 1836
has a central entrance-hall and stair compartment with a principal room at either
side. Behind it lies the original house, which became the service wing in C19; it
was previously a longhouse with hall and inner room, the hall stack backing on to
the through-passage. 2 storeys, with garret in front range. Symmetrical main front
of 1836 to east, 3 windows wide with centre doorway; windows have original 8-paned
sashes. 6-panelled door, the 2 lowest panels flush; patterned fanlight over.
Granite ashlar porch of about 1850 with triangular pediment on top; C20 glazed door.
At right-hand side, set well back, is the projecting end of the older rear range
with a small piece added on to the front. In ground storey of this addition is a 2-
light wood-mullioned casement window, possibly of C18, with 3 C19 panes per light.
In side wall in second storey is a similar 3-light window with leaded panes, the
centre light with an opening iron casement. Matching 2-light window above, at
garret level in side wall of 1836 range. From the right-hand end of the projecting
rear range extends a low stone rubble wall dividing the garden from the lane into
the farmyard. This contains a mounting-block designed so that a horse standing in
the lane could be mounted from the garden; a flight of 4 granite steps leads up to a
small opening at the top of the wall, this being closed by an ornamental iron gate.
The rear wall of the house has mostly C20 plastic windows, but left-hand ground-
storey window has a C19 3-light wood casement with 8 panes per light; in second
storey the left-hand window and the third window from the left have 2-light C19 wood
casements with 6 panes per light. Doorway, at rear of through passage, has an early
or mid C18 5-panelled door with raised-and-fielded ovolo-moulded panels, the top 2
panels now glazed; large, old strap-hinges on the inside. Wide lean-to porch with
solid side walls and slated roof. To left of it is a mounting block with 4 granite
steps.
Interior: front range has wooden geometric stair with thin square-section balusters,
shaped step-ends and handrail scrolled at the foot. Front room to right has pink
and green marble chimneypiece with elliptical headed recess at either side. Rear
range (former longhouse) has a range of C18 cupboards with raised-and-fielded,
ovolo-moulded panelled doors separating passage from former shippon. Latter, now
converted to a sitting-room, has a cobbled floor with central drain under the
floorboards; blocked door in rear wall, next to the passage, C18 panelled shutters.
Passage has plain upper-floor joists. Back wall of hall fireplace, forming right-
hand side of passage, is of granite ashlar with chamfered plinth and cornice. The
fireplace itself has hollow-moulded granite jambs that on right with a diagonal-cut
stop; chamfered wood lintel with step-stops. Above it on right-hand side, fixed to
a wooden board, is a brass spit-wheel, believed to date from about 1860. In back of
fireplace a,brick-lined oven; stone opening with curved head, the shallow shelf in
front of it destroyed within living memory. Hall has stone-flagged floor. Central
beam and half-beam against chimney with ovolo-moulding and run-out stops; between
the 2 beams ovolo-moulded joists. Beside fireplace is a bacon cupboard with flue
(now blocked) into fireplace. Roof structure rebuilt C19, leaving simply a pent-
roof against back wall of 1836 range.
Source: information from Mr Dick Wills of Narracombe, whose family has owned and
occupied the farm for many generations.

Listing NGR: SX7872976719

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26533575

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

• 
  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Pevsner's Architectural Glossary (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Period Property Manual (New Ed)
• 
  Department for Communities Listed Historic Buildings of Northern Ireland: Information Guide for the 2nd Survey of Historic Buildings
• 
  [(Shropshire)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1958)