Little Bulmore

Cadw's description

Location

About 1600m north east of the junction with Isca Road set on the hillside above the road.

History

The house is probably mid C17 in origin, with Fox and Raglan putting it at c1630. It was extensively altered in the mid C19 and part seems to have been turned into a cowhouse. Its original appearance is unknown, but it may have had a second gable to the left which was then truncated and extended in the C19 conversion to cowhouse. Fox and Raglan suggest that the gabled wing is an addition to an older house since demolished, but at least a part of the stonework of the wing appears to be contemporary with the gabled section. It was again adapted for use as an enlarged house post listing in 1981, the house having ceased to be a dwelling at that time, and now (July 2000) is abandoned once more.

Exterior

The house is constructed of local sandstone and conglomerate rubble and has a Welsh slate and concrete tile roof. It is two-and-a-half storeys with a hall and cross-wing plan but this is a post 1981 reconstruction of what, at that time, was a single-unit, gable-fronted farmhouse, which was downhill of an abutting later cowshed to left, which was partly of separate build, see History. The right hand gabled section has one casement window, with plain dripmoulds, that on the ground floor 4-light with developed quarter-round moulded mullions, that on the first floor 3-light with plain chamfered rebate externally for glass, and a small single light one with chamfered jambs in the gable head (this had a plain diamond mullion in 1981). Altered doorway to the left with a modern glazed door and at first floor level (present ground level) in the largely rebuilt rear gable, To the left of this the wing has two windows, on the ground floor 3 + 3 casements under elliptical brick heads, and above are casements under the eaves, but not over those below. Plain roof of concrete interlocking tiles with roof light and rebuilt chimney, all 1980s alterations. Right hand return has C19 lean-to, left return has brick repairs. Rear elevation, only partly seen, has late C20 features,

Interior

The C17 gabled wing has ground floor ceiling beams chamfered with good bar-and-runout stops; diagonal stops to the chamfered joists. The roof trusses are principals with ties and purlins, the apex cannot be seen, of a form which Fox and Raglan consider to be very late upper crucks. There is one apparently C17 principal in the wing (see History) which otherwise has a sawn roof with staggered purlins. The interior is otherwise featureless.

Reason for designation

Included as a C17 house which despite alterations retains several good period features.