Mertyn Abbot Farmhouse

Inside the porch, the front doorway has an arched monolithic head under a square hoodmould. In the spandrels is an inscribed date which appears to read '15 73'. This leads to a cross-passage with partial timber-framed partitions to the sides and an arched stone doorway to the rear. To the L are 2 doorways into the hall. The ceiling has chamfered spine- and cross- beams mainly with curved stops, and stop-chamfered joists. The fireplace to the W wall has been narrowed slightly and the timber bressumer partly cut out. To its rear is a domed brick bakeoven. A doorway to the L of the fireplace leads to a tiny room with worked stone feature, possibly a former basin. Further L is the entrance to the dog-leg staircase (in same projection as stack). To the S end of the room is a partition dividing the hall from the parlour. Towards the base are holes, possibly where a bench was fixed to the partition. Two doorways lead into the parlour. To the far R is a blocked doorway with segmental timber head and a new opening immediately adjacent. To the L is a doorway with replaced segmental timber head. The parlour ceiling has 2 spine beams with curved stops. The fireplace at the S end has moulded stone jambs and corbels, and appears to be c1600. The later timber bressumer is inscribed with a date of 1735 although this may not be authentic. In the W wall is a blocked opening with an ovolo-moulded mullion set back and at an angle (did this relate to an earlier spiral staircase?). To the E wall and adjacent to the window, is a blocked opening, possibly originally for a window with timber mullions. To the R of the cross-passage is the kitchen, refitted in 1840 and now modernised. It has 2 spine beams with narrow chamfers and planked doors.

The 1st floor has been partly modernised. To the N gable end is a bedroom adjacent to a bathroom. The bedroom contains the doorway shown by Pennant, whilst in the bathroom is a square stone-framed recess, possibly a blocked window. The bedroom in the centre originally contained a staircase which led up from the hall, with a segmental headed doorway leading S into a further room. To the S end is a large chamber (solar?) with a stone fireplace to the gable end, similar to that below. The room was once divided. The ceiling has spine- and cross-beams with ogee stops. Blocked square window to E wall, probably originally with timber mullions. A doorway to the W leads to the attic staircase with spiral wooden stairs. The attic is 5-bay and open-plan with a doorway to the N gable end. Trusses with arched collars and 2 raked struts.

Four-window farmhouse of 2 storeys and an attic constructed of large blocks of coursed sandstone under a slate roof with stone end stacks and raised stone copings to gable ends. Large lateral stack to rear (W) with stepped gable. Multi-pane wooden windows under large stone lintels (added in 1840). The front has a gabled porch offset to the R, the doorway under a shallow ogee-arched stone head, with a large finial to the gable apex. Three-window to L of porch and 1-window to the R. Those L of the porch to the lower storey are large mid-late C20 windows with top opening lights. Horizontal-sliding sash without lintel to R of porch. The 1st floor windows are 2-light casements with lintels, aligned with those below. Three small gabled attic dormers, grouped towards centre, each 3-light.

The S gable end has C16 windows offset to the R to each storey. They are all single-light with stone surrounds, that to the ground floor with a flat head, those above with arched heads. To the ground floor, offset to the L, is a window as front. Horizontal-sliding sash offset to L of gable.

Towards the centre of the rear (W) is a wide gabled projection with stepped gable, which houses a lateral stack and staircase. On its R side at ground and 1st floor level are small horizontal-sliding sashes. To the R of the gabled stack is a tiny light to the 1st floor, probably an attic stairlight. Beneath it are external stone stairs with open metal handrail which lead up to a doorway into the side of the gabled bay, and provide access to the staircase. Underneath the stairs is an old stone water tank, and above is the remains of a small stone segmental headed opening (possibly relating to a mullion seen inside). To the L of the gable is a lateral stack, beyond which is a triple horizontal-sliding sash. Beneath this is a lean-to with addition in front, and a very small lean-to to R.

To the N gable end is a horizontal-sliding sash under a flat stone lintel offset to the R. Further R is a roofed walkway which leads into the barn. To the L of the 1st floor is a stone doorway with monolithic segmental head, shown by Pennant in 1796 and now blocked with stone. To the gable apex is a C20 multi-pane window with shutters, infill of a former doorway, above which is the remains of a hoist (the attic was once used for farm storage). This opening is flanked by a stone ledge at mid-level.