Description

CHULMLEIGH EAST STREET, (north side),
SS 6814 -6914
Chulmleigh
7/54 Vicars Stalls
20.2.67 (Formerly listed as The Elms)
GV II
House. Probably late C15, with late C16 alterations, heavily remodelled and extended
circa 1880. Unrendered stone rubble. Thatch roof, hipped at left end, gable end to
right. Rendered brick stack at left end, brick shaft to stone rubble stack at right
end and rear lateral brick stack to rear range.
Plan: complex multiphase development, the later alterations obscuring original plan
form. The main range consists of a former open hall house of some stature, with 7
raised cruck trusses surviving, all evenly but relatively lightly smoke-blackened.
It is unclear whether the house may have originally extended further at the lower end
and may also have done so at the upper, left end. Probably in the mid to late C16
the house appears to have been largely remodelled, the exposed ceiling to the former
large single room to the right of the entrance hall suggesting this end was used as a
parlour, with a kitchen at the higher left end. Circa 1880 the house was again
extensively remodelled, the large principal room being partitioned to form a small
room to the right of the entrance hall with an axial rear passage to the larger end
room. At the same time an extension of 1 room plan, parallel with the main range,
was added to the rear and a grand staircase built at the rear of the entrance hall.
To the left of the entrance hall, the kitchen was also partitioned to create a small
office (used originally as doctor's dispensary) immediately to the left of the
entrance.
Exterior: 2 storeys. 4 window range. All C19 3 light casements, 3 panes per light.
Ground floor has 2 C19 transomed mullion windows of 3 lights to right of panelled and
part-glazed doorway. Late C19 greenhouse attached at right end of main range in
enclosed garden.
Interior: right-hand room has fine framed ceiling with heavily modelled beams, only 2
panels and part of a third of which are exposed. The remainder has been concealed by
the late C19 remodelling which is also of a good quality, with moulded plaster
cornice to the right-hand room. The added range to the rear is completely unspoilt
with a good late C19 decorative plaster cornice and rich marble chimneypiece. Late
C19 geometric staircase to rear of entrance hall. Kitchen has hollow chamfered cross
ceiling beam and brick arch to fireplace; the original timber lintel was corbelled
out. Several C17 doors survive to upper storey over kitchen end.
Roof structure consists of 7 trusses in all, the short curved feet of the principals
supported on partially exposed chamfered timber wall plate. The trusses carry 2
tiers of butt purlins and diagonally threaded ridge purlin, with morticed and tenoned
slightly cranked collars, some of the collars have been removed. The roof has been
modified to a hip at the left end, and the lower end truss is set close to gable end
wall and the principals have soffits grooved to the apex, as if to take a closed
partition.

Listing NGR: SS6888214287

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26400547

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

• 
  Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy
• 
  The Listed Buildings and Other Principal Structures at the Royal Gunpowder Mills Waltham Abbey
• 
  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides): Written by Charles O'Brien, 2014 Edition, Publisher: Yale University Press [Hardcover]
• 
  ENGLAND GUIDE TO POST WAR LISTED: A Guide to Post-war Listed Buildings
• 
  Somerset: South and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)