Description

SX 69 SW BELSTONE

3/4 Tordown House

II

House, former Dartmoor longhouse. Probably mid C17 (possibly earlier in some
parts); renovated circa 1970. Granite stone rubble, whitewashed on the front;
granite stacks, one with its original granite ashlar chimney shaft; thatch roof.
Plan and development: 3 room-and-through-passage plan former Dartmoor longhouse
built down the hillslope facing east. The inner room at the uphill left (south) end
is terraced into the slope and has a gable-end stack. Formerly a stair rose
alongside and its turret projects a short distance to the front. The hall has an
axial stack backing onto the passage. The former shippon was converted to domestic
use circa 1970. C20 outshots to rear. None of the features of the house can
conclusively be dated earlier than the mid C17 but the layout suggests earlier
origins, probably as an open hall house. The main house is now 2 storeys and the
former shippon is open to the roof.
Exterior: Irregular 3-window front of late C19 and C20 casements with glazing bars.
The passage front doorway is right of centre and contains a C20 door with
contemporary flat hood. Roof is gable-ended to left and hipped to right. The right
end wall (the former shippon) now contains a large window of circa 1970.
Interior: The hall has a large granite ashlar fireplace which contains a C19 cloam
oven. This fireplace could date as early as the C16 but its plain finish cannot be
closely dated. The crossbeam is mid or late C17; soffit-chamfered with runout
stops. Much of the upper hall crosswall has been removed but since the head beam
contains no mortices it too is thought to be mid or late C17. No carpentry detail
shows in the inner room and the fireplace is missing its lintel. Roof is mostly C20
but retains a C17 A-frame truss over the hall.

Listing NGR: SX6121994358

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26462130

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Gloucestershire 2: The Vale and The Forest of Dean: Vale and Forest of Dean Pt. 2 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Staffordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Kent: North East and East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius (Penguin Art & Architecture)