Description

CHAGFORD HIGH STREET, (south side),
SX 7087 Chagford
6/113 The Three Crowns

20.2.52

GV II*

Inn, originally the dower house of Whiddonpark House (q.v.). Probably late C16,
refurbished in mid C17, C18 and C19 rear blocks, early C20 extension to main block
and main block modernised in mid C20. Main front of coursed blocks of granite
ashlar, the rest is granite rubble and main block extension is plastered and maybe
brick; granite stacks, 1 still with its original granite ashlar; the main block
roof is thatch to the front and slate to the rear and rear blocks.
Plan: courtyard plan house. The oldest part is the main block built along the
street, facing north-east, and set back a little from it. It originally had a 2-
room plan with a through passage between but the passage has now been blocked by the
bars and there is now a lobby entrance. Each room has a gable end stack. Front 2-
storey porch. A small room to rear of the larger right room, now an office, may
represent the site of the former stair. The 3 rear blocks enclose a small courtyard
which has been mostly infilled with service outshots. These have been massively
rearranged and much rebuilt in the late C19 and C20. In the early C20 the front
block was extended to right by one small room and a carriageway. 2 storeys
throughout.
Exterior: original part of the front has a nearly symmetrical 2:1:2-window front;
probably late C16 granite windows with hollow-chamfered mullions and contain
rectangular panes of leaded glass. All have hoodmoulds over and those on the ground
floor have relieving arches. The main block windows are 3 lights and the first
floor porch window is 2 light (this one a C20 replacement). The gabled porch has a
4-centred outer arch with moulded surround and hoodmould. There is a small
rectangular niche directly above with a projecting frame. On either side original
windows have been enlarged to doorways and the single light first floor windows are
C20. Another C20 first floor window immediately right of the porch. At the right
end is an inserted doorway with gabled and slate-roofed porch. The extension to
right of this has a ground floor granite and 2 first floor timber casements. Roof
runs parallel with the street between the adjoining properties. The rear blocks
contain late C19 and C20 fenestration. The oldest feature is late C17 or C18; a
solid oak chamfered frame containing an old plank door in the right gable end of the
rear block.
Interior: only the main block shows any features earlier than the C19. The porch
has stone benches each side. The front doorway has the shape of a Tudor arch but it
is clad with C20 boards. The left room has a mid C17 soffit-chamfered and scroll-
stopped crossbeam and the 2 crossbeams in the right room are similar except the
scroll stops here are augmented with 2 nicks each. Both fireplaces have ovolo-
moulded granite jambs but have replacement lintels; the left one with a slab of
granite, the right one with an oak lintel finished the same as the crossbeams above
sides built up roughly with rubble. The main 7-bay roof may be mid C17 or even C18
and comprises a series of tall A-frame trusses with pegged lap-jointed collars.
The Three Crowns is reputed to have been built by Sir John Whiddon as the dower
house of Whiddponpark House (q.v.). As an inn it was formerly called the Black Swan
(the Whiddon crest). The building is of immense value to the centre of Chagford and
forms part of an attractive group of listed buildings in the vicinity of the Church
of St Michael (q.v.).

Listing NGR: SX7005887504

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• The Three Crowns Hotel at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q7768971

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.

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