Description

DUNCHIDEOCK
SX 88 NE

3/13 The Old Post Office

- II

House. Formerly used as a schoolroom, Post Office and Cobbler's shop. C17 origins
with C19 and probably later additions, C20 renovations. Cob above stone rubble,
whitewashed and rendered; thatched roof gabled at left end of main range and hipped
at right end where it is carried down as a verandah on rustic posts; the verandah
continues round the right hand and centre of the front elevation. A single-storey
addition at the left end is slightly set-back with a thatched roof, half-hipped at
the left end. Brick stack at left end of main range, axial stack with paired brick
shafts.
Single-depth plan, the C17 core extending fron the left hand of the main range to the
axial stack. This section of the house may have been a two room plan C17 house with
heated rooms on either side of a wide central passage with a stair to the rear. In
the circa early C19 a one room plan extension was added at the right end. This is
said to have been used as a purpose built schoolroom. A 1 room plan single-storey
extension was added at the left end. C20 renovations have included some
refenestration.
2 storeys. 2 + 4 window front with the thatch carried down as a catslide roof to a
verandah on posts, C20 front door to left of centre leading into the passage. The
main range has C20 fenestration of 2-light casements with square leaded panes, 4
windows to the ground floor, 2 to the first floor, the right hand first floor window
is a raking dormer in the thatch. The former Post Office adjoining at the left end
has a central doorway with timber small-pane casements on either side.
Interior: Several features of interest including, in the left hand room of the main
range, an open fireplace with brecchia jambs (lintel replaced), a C17 chamfered cross
beam with ogee stops and exposed joists. An C18 iron casement with shutters and
square leaded panes survives. The right hand heated room has a similar cross beam
with one ogee stop visible and an open fireplace with a chamfered elm lintel with
ogee stops. The 3 roof trusses above these rooms are C17 collar rafter with straight
principal rafters, the collars halved and lap dovetailed into the principals which
are mortised at the apex, original rafters and battens intact. The left hand
partition of the entrance passage rises as a plastered partition in the roofspace.
There is evidence that the ceiling of the right hand room has been lowered. The
first floor ceiling of the C19 right hand addition is a plaster groin vault,
unusually elaborate for a schoolroom.
A mid to late C17 house with an interesting history of addition and re-use.

Listing NGR: SX8797587389

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26389322

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

• 
  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990: Updated version
• 
  Georgian Style and Design for Contemporary Living
• 
  ENGLAND GUIDE TO POST WAR LISTED: A Guide to Post-war Listed Buildings
• 
  Derbyshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)