Litton Court

Cadw's description

Location

Sited gable end on to the Whitton to Evenjobb road, three quarters of a mile north of Discoed crossroads on the eastern side.

History

Former timber-framed medieval open-hall bouse, rebuilt in stone in C17, remodelled in C18 and C19.

Exterior

The eaves have been further raised with successive roof structures built over the earliest cruck trusses.Two-storey, single pile range with the eastern bay converted from the adjoining cowhouse and built over a cellar. Coursed sandstone rubble, slate roof, flush stone stack to roadside gable, squared stone stack to right of centre. Five window range, all modern casements, projecting bay to right of door has windows with stone flat arch heads. Modern glazed door set in former wider opening. Farmyard elevation has C19 three-light casements under flat stone heads.

Interior

Modified cross-passage plan with inserted stack, the original easternmost bay now gone and the west end probably extended in the C17. Two cruck trusses survive; that to the west end of the former hall truncated at first floor level, the feet are visible in the cross-passage together with a horizontal rail. The smoke-blackened cruck at the east (stack) end of the hall was arch-braced with diagonal struts above the collar. There is a steeply-pitched C17 roof over the crucks, further lower pitched trusses above that and a much later final roof structure. The roof spaces were used for sleeping quarters from the C18/19 and have boarded floors and doors. The former hall was ceiled in C16 with bressumer wall beams, two axial main beams and central transverse main joists, all with wide chamfer and draw stop. The original bacon cratch survives, set between the two main beams, also numerous ceiling hooks. Large inglenook fireplace with blocked bread oven, massive wooden lintel, the soffit later adzed to arch shape. West wall of passage and west room have narrow chamfer transverse beams with scroll stops. Period plank and batten doors throughout hung on gudgeon pins with tulip-ended strap hinges.

Reason for designation

Included in the list as it represents an attractive farm grouping in a prominent roadside position and the house is one of the oldest surviving buildings in Whitton community.
Group value.