Description

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 8 May 2026 to update the Name and Address and reformat the text to current standards

SS 6814-6914
7/102

CHULMLEIGH
Chumleigh
SOUTH MOLTON STREET (west side),
Bolberry Cottage, Chelmscott and Sunnyholme

(Formerly listed as Bolberry Cottage, The Cottage and Sunnyholme, previously listed range of 3 cottages north of Bass Tenement)

29.3.78

GV
II

Three adjoining cottages, originally single tenement. C16 but accurate dating obscured by replacement of roof structure in early C20. Painted rendered stone rubble and cob. Slate roof with gable ends. Two front lateral stacks to lower end and hall demolished in C20, that to left replaced with small brick stack. Rear lateral stack to upper end with tapered cap and drip.

Plan: Conforms to overall three room and through-passage plan, with lower end to left, except that inner room has been divided into two forming the partition wall between Chelmscott and Sunnyholme at right end. Hall side of screens passage forms partition between Bolberry and Chelmscott. Bolberry Cottage therefore incorporates the lower end and through-passage of the tenement, with a staircase inserted at the rear right side of passage and C20 extension added at the rear; Chelmscott incorporates the hall and part of the inner room, with direct entry into the latter. Early C19 staircase to rear left-hand corner of hall providing access also to late C18/early C19 gable-ended outbuilding at right angles to rear of range, the loft of which has now been taken in to form part of the dwelling. Sunnyholme at the right end incorporates the upper end of the inner room forming a small one room cottage with staircase in the rear right-hand corner and C20 outshut at rear.

Devlopment: although conforming perfectly to a classic three-room and through-passage there are two problems of interpretation. The first concerns the relationship of the tenement with the Malthouse (q.v.) which adjoins the lower end of Bolberry Cottage. The heavily concealed smoke-blackened truss to the right gable end of the Malthouse and its unusual plan form suggested the house may originally have extended further to the right, but the insertion of a brick gable end wall on the Bolberry Cottage side of the truss obscures the evidence for this. The second problem concerns the removal of the original roof structure of all the three cottages in circa 1907. However, the stub of an apparently smoke-blackened ridge survives on the inner room side of the solid cob partition wall between the hall and inner room. This, together with the fact that the bressumer at the upper end of the hall is awkwardly supported on a chamfered and scroll-stopped timber post suggests that the range was originally open to the roof, the floors and stacks being a later insertion.

The division of the inner room to form the small cottage appears to have occured in the C18, the single fireplace being converted to two adjacent ones across the angles of the partition and rear wall. Bolberry Cottage appears to have been divided off at a later date, probably in the C19.

Exterior: two storeys. Five window range in all. Bolberry Cottage has a C17 three light mullion window and a C19 three-light casement, both three panes per light above a four paned sash to left of C20 door and a narrow single light two paned window. Chelmscott has a four-paned sash and a two light casement, three panes per light above a C17 three light ovolo mullion window three panes per light to left and a small canted bay window with two light casement two panes per light to right of door with three panelled base and two glazed upper panels. Sunnyholme has a three light casement three panes per light on each floor to right of C19 plank door.

Interior: Bolberry Cottage has plank and muntin screens surviving to each side of through-passage, the centrally positioned four-centred arched doorways with chamfered surrounds have been blocked on both sides, and a new doorway formed adjacent to the blocked doorway on the lower side. The end bay of the screen on the lower side of the passage is wide enough for a doorway, similar to the screen at Silver House, East Street (q.v.) the headrail being unchamfered over this section, but the sill is comparatively unworn. The muntins to both screens are chamfered on the lower end side only. Original fireplace lintel probably concealed behind C20 chimneypiece. Elaborate staircase inserted in C20 but incorporating C19 turned newels and balusters.

Chelmscott has single cross beam to hall with a wide hollow chamfer and bressumer at upper end of hall supported centrally on chamfered timber post with scroll-stops at the base of the chamfers, the head mortice indicating it is integral with the bressumer. Partially exposed wide timber lintel to hall fireplace. C19 ledged two plank doors to staircase and stair cupboard. C19 dado panelling to hall and inner room. Cobbled floor to attached rear outbuilding. The fireplaces to Chelmscott and Sunnyholme sharing the rear lateral stack have rounded backs, that to Chelmscott has a shouldered head, that to Sunnyholme has a thin chamfered fireplace lintel with diagonal cut stops. Step C19 staircase to rear right-hand corner of Sunnyholme.

The interiors of all these cottages, including the upper storeys have remained comparatively unspoilt since the late C19. Roof structure entirely replaced
circa 1907, but apparently smoke-blackened stub of the ridge purlin survives to inner room side of solid cob wall partition between hall and inner room.


Listing NGR: SS6866214321

External Links

• Wikidata Q26400525

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

• 
  Kent: North East and East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  A Buying and Owning a Listed Building: A Brief Guide
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990: Updated version
• 
  Period property manual, victorian house manual 2 books collection set by ian rock
• 
  Suffolk: West: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Suffolk: East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)