MDE20305 - Wilsham Farmhouse (Building)

Farmhouse, now divided. Early 17th Century, with mid 18th Century alterations and addition, remodelled in the early to mid 19th Century and divided in late 20th Century. Rendered, probably over coursed sandstone rubble. Rendered stacks, partly brick with slate-hung stack to east. Two-span hipped graded slate roof. Plan and development: probably 17th Century 3-room-and-cross-passage plan with integral end stack at upper end, and cross wing added at lower end (east), projecting to rear (north) with integral end stack. Parallel range added to front (south) in the mid 18th Century, and eaves of rear wing raised (see straight joints flanking stack) and its roof rebuilt at the same time (roof over rear range possibly rebuilt). 2 storeys. 18th Century range remodelled in the early to mid 19th Century and south porch added at same time. It is possible that the dairy was added to the west end of the front range at the time of the early to mid 19th Century remodelling, so producing the asymmetrical front. Late 20th Century porch to rear, probably added when house divided. Exterior: asymmetrical south front of 1:3 bays; mid - late 19th Century wooden cross windows with stone cills. Door in second bay from right with 6 beaded flush panels in second bay from right with 6 beaded flush panels (top 4 glazed) and beaded surround; 19th Century rendered gabled porch with pair of half-glazed doors and side windows. Right- hand return front has 18th Century four-light wooden casements with wooden lintels to ground and first floors at right. Irregular 3-window front to north; 19th Century and later wooden casements. Doorway off-centre to left and 20th Century lean-to porch in angle of wing to left, with entrance to east and of house. Interior: probably former through-passage to rear range with opposed doors, that to south now leading into later front range. Stud wall between passage and hall and wall between hall and lower end removed in late 20th Century. Doorway from former passage to lower, now sealed (July 1987) as house is divided. Cross-beams in rear room (now kitchen) with mortices on underside and fireplace with reused wooden lintel. Ground-floor room in north-east cross wing has deep-chamfered cross beams with scroll stops. Segmental brick-arched open fireplaces with bread oven. Old winder staircase to right of fireplace; old boarded door with wrought-iron strap hinges. Early to mid 19th Century staircase in front range with stick balusters. 18th Century roofs over front range and wing of 5 and 3 bays respectively; tie-beam trusses to front range and collar trusses to wing; pairs of purlins. Roof over rear range not inspected at time of survey (July 1987). Wilsham farm is a building of various periods. The oldest part appears to be the rear range where substantial beams survive in the east end room. This east section has been raised to provide a second storey with the roof turned at right angles to the main roof perhaps in the 18th Century. Subsequently an entirely new range was constructed in the same century parallel to this range and this in its turn was heavily altered in the early to mid 19th Century to present the house that we now see. This last alteration provided a more formal layout with a central staircase flanked by polite living rooms. The western range was kept as a service room (recently a dairy), although the western fenestration disguises this room's more humble function. An 18th Century fireplace survives in the bedroom above this dairy although the rest of this range was completely altered in the 19th Century with doors, staircase and one fireplace of this period surviving. [2] The building was visited in December 2013 as part of the rapid condition survey of Exmoor's Listed Buildings 2012-13. It received a BAR score of 6. [3] The building was assessed as part of the 2018-19 rapid condition survey of Exmoor’s Listed Buildings, receiving a BAR score of 6. [4]