Description

DARTINGTON STAPLE SX7861-SX7961 Steps Cottage 13/153 24.7.90

GV II

House. Circa 1500, remodelled in circa early to mid C17, extended in c18 or early C19 altered in C20. Local limestone and slate rubble. Thatched roof, hipped at higher right end and gabled at lower left end; the left end section has scantle slates and consequently slightly lower roof line. Chimney stack of either end, the right-hand stack is now an axial ridge stack because of the extension at the right end; projecting rendered lateral stack at the rear left incorporated into a stair turret and with a tapered shaft. Plan: the original plan and later development is uncertain. However the house was certainly open to the roof from end to end and divided by low screens, probably 2 rooms and a central through passage, the large lower end room to the left. Whether the floors were inserted in phases (the right hand end first) is not certain but in any case the floors seem to have been put in early to mid C17 and a lateral stack built at the back of the lower left-hand room with an integral stair turret which partly blocked the back doorway of the through passage. The screen on the lower left side of the passage was replaced but installed further to the left creating a wider passage to allow access to the newel stairs from the passage. The left-hand rooms lateral stack at the back has an oven. The right-hand room is heated by a fireplace on the higher end wall which may have been put in when the floor was inserted. The lower end stack serves the chamber over this end. In the C18 or early C19 a 1-room plan extension was added to the higher right-hand end. Exterior: 2 storeys. Asymmetrical 3-window range the right-hand window in the extension. C20 2- and 3-light metal casements with leaded panes in wooden frames. Small late C19 2-light casement to right. Doorway to left of centre with C20 stone porch with a lean-to slate roof. The lower left end had 2 C18 or early C19 2-light casements with leaded panes on the first floor and a later C19 3-light casement on the ground floor. Rear: Projecting lateral stack and rectangular stair turret enclosed within C20 outshuts. At the back of the lower end a short parallel range which belongs to a later adjoining house. Interior: Plank and muntin screen on the higher right side of the passage has chamfered muntins. The plank and muntin screen on the lower left side of the wide passage is later and has scratch moulded muntins like some of the joists over the passage which are also scratch moulded. Both screens have been repaired and the lower left-hand screen partly removed. The right-hand room has a chamfered joists on its higher right side have pyramid stops with notches on the pyramids. The lower left-hand room has a chamfered cross-beam and a half-beam with hollow step stops. The rear lateral fireplace in the left-hand room has a timber lintel with a stopped chamfer, stone rubble jambs and a clay bread oven. The fireplace in the higher end room has been narrowed and its lintel raised. The newel stairs has wooden treads and a blocked window. Roof: 2 trusses, smoke-blackened on both sides, have morticed apexes, morticed cracked collars and threaded ridge-piece and purlins; the purlins, ridge-piece, rafters, battens and thatch survive between the 2 trusses, all heavily smoke-blackened. The trusses are raised cracks, their feet embedded well down into the walls. There are extra trusses inserted at the lower end; they are clean and have morticed apexes and the purlins rest on the backs on the principals. The roof over the right-hand end extension was not inspected.

Listing NGR: SX7894861876

External Links

• Wikidata Q26610569

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Recommended Books

• 
  Worcestershire Revised Edition (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Yorkshire West Riding: Leeds, Bradford and the North (Pevsner Architectural Guides / Buildings of England)
• 
  Department for Communities Listed Historic Buildings of Northern Ireland: Information Guide for the 2nd Survey of Historic Buildings
• 
  Liverpool: Pevsner City Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Cork: City and County (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
• 
  Yorkshire: York and the East Riding (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)