Church Gate

Details

BROADHEMBURY BROADHEMBURY SY 10 SW

5/54 Church Gate

22.2.55 (formerly listed as Church Gate Cottages) GV II*

House, probably a church house. C16, some C20 renovations. Stone rubble; roof gabled at ends, slate to the front of the ridge, thatch to the rear. Thatched lean- to at right end; end stacks, the shaft of the left end stack Beerstone ashlar mixed with a grey freestone, modern brick repair at the top; right end stack with a larger shaft of similar construction with a moulded cornice. Plan: Extremely interesting historic plan form: a single depth range with heated rooms to left and right, the left hand room a high quality parlour, the right hand room probably a kitchen. In the centre an unheated service room behind an axial passage along the front; there was originally a central entrance into the axial passage. There is no evidence of an original internal stair but 2 blocked first floor doorways on the front suggest that external staircases existed, leading to what may have been one or two large rooms on the first floor serving some kind of communal function. Alterations have involved moving the front door to right of centre and the creation of a through passage between the kitchen and the service room. A C20 stair has been introduced, leading off the axial passage and partly cutting through the service room, the first floor has been repartitioned. The original plan form, nevertheless, is surprisingly complete for a church house. Exterior: 2 storeys. Tall, asymmetrical 4 window front with a rustic porch on posts to right of centre (a C20 replacement) and a C20 plank front door. The original doorway, to the left of the present door, has been blocked and converted to a window; 1-light C16 window to the left with a hollow-chamfered Beerstone frame. To the right of the porch straight joints indicate a blocked window. On the first floor 2 blocked doorways to left and right of centre, to the extreme left a 3-light timber mullioned window with external glazing. 3 probably C20 windows to the centre and right. The rear elevation has a good C16 3-light Beerstone mullioned window lighting the parlour with hollow-chamfered mullions stanchions and leaded panes, some old and retaining old glass. Interior: Very rich in carpentry and joinery. The unheated service room in the centre is formed by tall oak plank and muntin screens, the left and right screens extending to the front wall with original chamfered doorframes with cranked lintels leading into the parlour and (formerly) into the kitchen. The service room is entered from the axial passage through a similar doorframe: a massive deep-chamfered crossbeam with scroll stops runs through the screen above the doorframe. The parlour, at the left end, has richly-moulded intersecting beams to the ceiling. A probably late C17 turned vertical post has been added in the centre of the room, presumably to give additional support to the ceiling. C20 fireplace, possibly concealing earlier features. The kitchen has a massive, partly blocked fireplace retaining an early lintel; a doorway adjacent to the stack, leading into the lean-to has a stone segmental lintel. The first floor has a set of chamfered stopped crossbeams. Roof: Not inspected at time of survey but quite likely to be contemporary with the building. Church Gate is sited immediately north-west of the parish church, its specialized plan form, rich carpentry detail and position in an outstanding estate village makes it of particular importance.

Listing NGR: ST1014804725

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

87056

Legacy System:

LBS

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