Description

NORTH BOVEY NORTH BOVEY
SX 78 SW
4/246 Gate House
-
23.8.55
GV II*

House, originally probably a farmhouse. Mid to late C15 with C17 modifications and
C20 alterations and addition. Rendered granite rubble walls. 2 rendered brick
gable end stacks, granite axial stack with brick shaft. Gable ended thatched roof,
rising slightly over 1st floor windows.
3-room-and-through-passage plan, originally open to the roof from end to end with
low partitions. Inner room ceiled first with internal jetty projecting into hall,
probably early-mid C16. Hall stack and ceiling inserted circa mid C17; lower end
ceiling and fireplace, and inner room fireplace, probably inserted at same time.
Hall stack backs onto passage. In 1950's a rear wing was built on to the lower end
and the house subdivided below the cross passage, subsequently to pass into
different ownership. Both parts have recently come under the same ownership again
and it will shortly be converted back into 1 house.
2 storeys. Asymmetrical 3-window front with 1st floor windows to the left of the
porch. The 2 left-hand windows are 2-light C19 casements with glazing bars. To
their right is a very small single light casement with diagonal leaded and coloured
panes with a similar window below. Glazed C20 doors to ground floor left with C20
2-light diagonal leaded pane casement to its right then 3-light hall window which is
C19 casement with glazing bars. To right of centre is wide C19 6-panel door to
passage in C17 gabled granite rubble porch with dressed granite jambs corbelled at
top to support thatched gabled roof. To its right on ground floor is late C20 canted
bay window supported on brackets, 3-light aluminium framed casement. Right gable
end has late C20 aluminimum framed casement to ground and first floor, with
shutters. Stone mounting block against left gable end.
Good interior: 2 original trusses survive in the roof, one over lower end of passage
and one over hall/inner room partition, both are open trusses and the roof shows
evidence of smoke blackening from end to end. The substantial principal rafters are
joined by a yoke at the apex which carried a square set ridge (the ridge survives
only over the lower end truss). The collars are not properly visible. Where each
principal rafter disappears into the walls another massive timber projects up into
the roof space immediately beside it but they do not appear to be jointed together
and the purpose of these other timbers is unclear. The lowest tier of smoke-
blackened purlins survives, trenched into the principals. A few original common
rafters also survive, some of them set on top of the higher end truss. Between the
2 is some very rough (smoke-blackened) plaster on both sides of the truss.
At upper end of hall ceiling is remains of internal jetty consisting of 3 chamfered
and curved joist ends projecting over partition between hall and inner room. Hall
has complete fine quality mid C17 beamed ceiling with central ovolo-moulded cross
beam and original joists with scratch mouldings to edges. Hall fireplace has
chamfered wooden lintel with run-out stops, on the right-hand side an oven has been
built in under the lintel. In the passage the hall fireplace back is constructed of
granite ashlar. The lower room has a substantial roughly chamfered cross beam.
This house exhibits a number of good features from various periods especially its
early roof structure as well as preserving a relatively unspoilt facade with a good
C17 porch.

Listing NGR: SX7408883878

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17534762

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

• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Setting up a Listed Building Heritage Partnership Agreement: Historic England Advice Note 5
• 
  Kent: West and the Weald: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Suffolk: East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  A Buying and Owning a Listed Building: A Brief Guide
• 
  Staffordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)