Description

BEAFORD EXETER ROAD (north-east side),
SS 5515 Beaford

20/49 The Beehive and Beahive Cottage
-
GV II

House and adjoining cottage. Probably early C16, remodelled in the early C17.
Further late C17 or early C18 alterations and additions. Some late C19 internal
alterations and addition at rear. Rendered over cob. Thatched roof, gable-ended to
left and half hipped to right. Stone outshut with slate roof. Two brick axial
stacks to right and lateral stack to rear with rendered stone shaft and brick cap.
Plan and development: Three-room and through-passage plan, consisting of central hall
with external lateral stack to rear and former through passage to left with opposed
central doors in screens (right-hand screen mostly removed at a later date), former
unheated service room to the left of the hall and former inner room with end stack to
the right of the hall. The house was probably formerly open to the roof continuously
from end to end, with first floor apparently inserted in stages. The hall stack was
probably inserted in the early C17 when the hall was still open to the roof (see high
lintel), and the first floor was probably not inserted in the hall until the late C17
or even the early C18. One-roomed additions to the left-and right-hand ends,
probably C17 or early C18. Right-hand addition slighly projecting to front and with
end stack. Former inner room remodelled in the C18. Entrance with lobby, and
staircase inserted between hall and inner room, probably in the late C19 (although
possibly replacing earlier stair - see stair projection at rear) in space taken out
of the hall. Front doorway to former through passage probably blocked when new
entrance inserted. Late C19 lean-to outshut at rear of right-hand end of house. The
C17 alteration apparently also included total replacement of the roof (no smoke
blackening was noted at the time of survey - December 1987). However it is also
possible that the house was always floored or that only the hall was open to the roof
and heated by the rear stack from the start. One-room plan probably C18 cottage at
right-hand end of the house, probably formerly part of house, possibly an outbuilding
(see late fenestration). C20 flat-roofed addition to rear of this end. Two storeys
with one-storey outshut.
Interior: Nearly-symmetrical 5-window front to house; mid - to late C19 two-light
casements, all of 3 lights except for 2-light ground-floor casement to left. Mid to
late C19 Gothic 4-panelled door between second and third windows from right with
chamfered upper panels; late C19 gabled wooden porch. Cottage to right has ground-
floor C20 two-light wooden casement to front and pair of first-floor C20 two-light
casements in right-hand gable end. Rear of house has full-height shallow staircase
projection with first-floor C19 margin-light casement.
Interior: Hall with probably late C17 plain ceiling joists spanning front to back.
Early to mid C17 stone fireplace to rear with stone jambs and ovolo-moulded wooden
lintel with ogee stops. C16 or early C17 plank and muntin screen between former
through passage and former service room, consisting of chamfered muntins with runout
stops (no middle rail), sole plate and head beam. Head beam chamfered above central
doorway with returns to former chamfered jambs. Doorway widened, probably in the
C18, and has an old boarded door with wrought-iron strap hinges (also probably C18).
Tops of some muntins curved. Only head beam of screen between passage and hall
survives, with mortices of former muntins and chamfer above former central doorway,
with return to former chamfered jambs. Front doorway to passage blocked, rear
doorway has probably C18 boarded door. C19 staircase to right of hall. Entrance
hall at foot of stairs with encaustic floor tiles and C19 four-panelled door into
hall with moulded architrave. Former inner room (to right of staircase) remodelled
in the mid C18, including doorway into entrance hall with moulded architrave and door
with 6 raised and fielded panels, and doorway into right-hand ground floor room with
moulded architrave, moulded cornice and probably early C19 four-panelled door
(rehung). Also picture rail, window seat and plaster ceiling. C20 fireplace with
C18 wall cupboard to right with raised and fielded panels. Probably C17 roof trusses
consisting of principal rafters and pegged lapped collars. C17 truss visible in right-
hand bedroom with principal rafters and pegged notched lapped collar.

Listing NGR: SS5532315033

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26399030

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

• 
  Georgian Style and Design for Contemporary Living
• 
  Old House Care and Repair
• 
  Norfolk 1: Norwich and North-East: Norwich and North-east v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Churches: An Architectural Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Development and Design of Heritage Sensitive Sites: Strategies for Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas