MSO10620 - Combe Farmhouse, Combe Lane, Withycombe (Building)

Farmhouse. Dated 1629, extended subsequently, kitchen end largely rebuilt and reroofed mid C19. Roughcast, colourwashed rubble kitchen end, slate roofs, lower independently roofed, hipped clay tiled, recessed kitchen wing, rendered stack left gable end, large lateral stack with slate roofed bread oven projection right of entrance. Plan: 3 cell and cross passage, dairy attached to stair turret on south front; south west addition. North front: 2 storeys, 2 bays; first floor left central section of wall raised to include two 2-light leaded casements, right in lower roofed block 2 casements set below eaves to left of lateral stack, ground floor one 4-light casement left, small glazed opening end bay right, half-glazed plank door in second bay right. Rear elevation south east corner of stair turret first floor 2-light ovolo moulded window, ground floor tiny wooden lancet blocked internally. Interior: east gable end fireplace plasterwork overmantol with cartouche dated 1629 with initials GB:AB:IB:DB below flanked by strap work, figures and drops of fruit, upper portion missing; central room has lateral beam steeply chamfered with step and runout stops, modern grate, peaked head door frame to winder stair with newel post, bedroom opening off stair above dairy, principal rafter roof. The kitchen end with similar roof seems to have been rebuilt. [1] English Heritage Listed Building Number: 265391. First Listed on 22/05/1969. [2] 3-cell Cross passage plan. Stone, Render, roughcast and pebbledash, Colourwashed walls. Hipped, Gabled roof [3] The building was visited in June 2012 as part of the rapid condition survey of Exmoor's Listed Buildings 2012-13. It received a BAR score of 6. [4] The parlour features an overmantel painted brown and cut off at the top. A central oval strapwork cartouche dated 1629 includes the initials GB, AB, IB and DR, with naked flanking figures perched on strapwork scrolls (similar to Little Court at West Bagborough). [5] The building was assessed as part of the 2018-19 rapid condition survey of Exmoor’s Listed Buildings, receiving a BAR score of 6. [6]