Data copyright © Daniel Ratcliffe unless otherwise stated
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Statement Heritage
8 Par Lane
PAR
Cornwall
P24 2DN
In 2020, Statement Heritage carried out a Building Recording to Level 2-3 as defined by Historic England of a partly ruined single storey vernacular range at Chirwyn, near Carnon Downs, Cornwall. The farmhouse at Chirwyn is a non-designated building possibly of 17th or 18th century origin. The range recorded is parallel to the farmhouse with multiple phases of construction, with a building shown on its current footprint since at least c1840. The earliest phases of the building evidence that the present cowhouse, to the west of the structure, was originally a building of low eaves constructed of stone and cob. with a steeply pitched and probably thatched roof. The building was raised in height, still using stone and cob to its current roof pitch, probably in the later 19th century. To the east, and on a similar alignment, two walls survive of a further range, most recently in use as a piggery. The earliest phases of its stone masonry abut, and so are later than the earliest parts of the cowhouse, but were also in place by c1840. The eaves height of this building was also raised, to match that of the adjacent cowhouse, and probably at the same time, although here stone was used to eaves height. The most recent phases of works probably date to the early or mid twentieth centuries when both buildings were renovated, with concrete floors and animal pens being installed and concrete block, reused brick, and cement mortar used to repair and consolidate walls. It is likely in this phase of works that the current corrugated iron roof covering was installed. The report contains highlights of our written, metric drawn and photographic recording of the building, including consideration of its setting and context, as well as a detailed index of the archive generated by the project, which will be deposited for long term curation and public access.