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East Worlington House 2012 - SWARC EWH08 Report 120718

Colin Humphreys and associates and subsequently South West Archaeology Ltd. (SWARCH) were instructed to undertake an archaeological desk-based study and building survey of East Worlington Farm.

The purpose of this study and survey was to place the house in its historical and landscape archaeological context, to understand the development of the buildings and to draw out any implications for future developments. This report was later extended with further historic building recording and an archaeological watching brief undertaken in April 2008 and January 2009 during various ground works associated with an extension and other alterations to East Worlington House.

It would appear that at the core of the house are remnants of a late medieval building. On the evidence of the smoke-blackened roof timbers and the presence of an upper chamber with elaborately decorated timber work (the fragment of elaborate moulding on the underside of an arch brace) which may have been heated by a fireplace in the east wall, this could have been a chamber block and subsequently a hall/house of some standing. Therefore, despite the lack of documentary evidence that this was ever the manor house of East Worlington, the physical evidence might suggest some seigneurial status at an early date. The documents indicate that by the later 16th century the house was serving as the rectory.