Description

WIDECOMBE-IN-
SX 67 SE THE-MOOR
5/203 Sherwell Farmhouse
-

GV II

Farmhouse, formerly a longhouse. C17 or earlier, with later additions. Granite
rubble, the front of house part-covered with roughcast. House part thatched with
hip at right-hand end; left-hand side (the former shippon) slated with hip on left.
Large plain granite chimneystack (probably heating former hall) on ridge at left-
hand end of house part. Small C20 rendered stack at each end of building.
Traditional 3-room plan, with 2 domestic rooms to right and former shippon to left;
there is no longer a cross-passage (if one ever existed), the front door opening
into a lobby. 2 storeys, with single-storey additions. House part is 2 windows
wide; C19 wood casements with 2 or 3 panes per light. Projecting from the left-hand
side is a small gabled building, formerly a well-house. In front of shippon end a
lean-to which also forms a porch to the front doorway; latter has an old plank door
with wrought-iron strap-hinges. There was formerly an outbuilding at the right-hand
end, of which only a small piece of walling and the doorway remains; this has
monolothic granite jambs and lintel.
Interior: hall stack backs on to entrance-lobby. Built-up against it on the lobby
side is a chamfered upper-floor beam. Hall fireplace is chamfered, with monolithic
granite jambs and lintel. Upper floor beams chamfered, the stops (if any ever
existed) having been worn away; chamfered joists with step stops. Stone wall
divides off the inner room, which is quite large and seems to have been a kitchen.
Gable fireplace with plain granite jambs and lintel; oven in the back having stone-
framed opening with shallow shelf in front. To left of fireplace a winding granite
staircase with blocked slit window. Upper floor beam is rough and unchamfered;
joists C20. Second storey not inspected.
Owner says she believes the shippon survived until shortly before she arrived in
1950s. Mrs F Wilkinson thinks this may once have been a mirrored pair of
longhouses, each with a domestic room and a shippon.

Listing NGR: SX6788074913

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26534884

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

• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2
• 
  London 1: The City of London: City of London v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects by Harwood, Richard (2012) Paperback
• 
  The green guide for historic buildings: how to improve the environmental performance of listed and historic buildings