Swan House

Location

By roadside, about 60m S of churchyard.

Exterior

C15 in origin. One-and-a-half storeys, incorporating the truncated portions of a high quality, late-medieval cruck-built house comprising part of a two-bay hall and the upper end bay. C19 rubble stone refacing, central front gablet dormer. Slate roof with modern roof-light, large brick end stack and smaller brick stack to front left. Cambered voussoir heads to openings, boarded front door, modern timber casements. Modern lean-to and conservatory to rear.

Interior

Two fairly complete cruck trusses of large scantling are exposed, principally on the first floor. The former central truss is ornate with moulded arch-bracing and, above the collar, cusped principals and braces forming an elongated quatrefoil and 2 trefoils. The partition truss between the former hall and upper end survives together with its original infill panelling. It is a plain cruck truss with vertical butt joint at the apex, yoke and heavy cranked collar. A rail at head height is partially chamfered and stopped, indicating the location of a doorway. Some smoke-blackening is evident on both trusses but cleaning and staining has obscured the original extent. At least 2 phases of later roof structure are set above the crucks. On the ground floor one of the principals of the former central truss is exposed and it has quarter-round mouldings to both inner edges. A stone stack has been inserted against this truss; the fireplace has chamfered ashlar jambs and timber lintel with scroll stops (it has been partially infilled). In the same room are 2 deep chamfered axial beams with slightly stepped draw-stops. The inner room has a narrow chamfered beam with scroll-stop and exposed joists and a small stone fireplace with modern lintel.

Reason for designation

Group value with other listed buildings in Church and High Street.