Description

CHULMLEIGH
SE 61 SE
5/9
Gatehouse at Colleton Mannor
20.2.67
- I

Gatehouse and integral former chapel. Probably C15 remodelled in circa C16 or
early C17, minor alterations probably of the early C19 and repaired in C20.
Local sedimentary ashlar with hollow chamfered plinth moulding. Slate roof with
coped gable ends, the apexes with moulded caps and balls and coved stone eaves
cornices. C19 stone stack on rear right hand corner with moulded cap.
Plan and development: Small rectangular plan 2-storey building on an east-west
axis. On the ground floor the one large room is entered by way of a doorway
from the wide archway which passes through the right hand east end of the
building to the forecourt of the house. The archway is not in line with the
screens passage of the house. There is one large chamber above open to the
roof, its access from an external stair turret at the left hand (west) end of
the rear (north) wall. There is a doorway (now blocked) from the ground floor
room to what must be a small closet under the stairs in the turret. The upper
chamber was probably the C15 chapel. The front (south) and back (north) walls
appear to have been refaced in ashlar probably in C16 or early C17. The first
floor doorway in the east end and the first floor fireplace in the north east
corner are later alterations after it ceased to be used as a chapel. The upper
part of the west end wall has been rebuilt in C20.
Exterior: South front has archway through to right with wide wave and-cyma
moulding, hoodmould and C20 studded door. To left a small single light ground
floor window with cavetto moulded frame and hoodmould. Larger 3-light window on
first floor without a hoodmould.
The north elevation facing the house has a round archway to the left with a
broad wave moulding, pyramid stops and a hoodmould; small ground floor window
similar to that on the front and first floor window as on front but 4 lights.
To the right on the corner the main roof is carried down over a rectangular
stair turret with a small window light at high level in the front wall and a
doorway on its left hand inner return. The doorway has a wave moulded Tudor
arch rebated on the outside for the door, the left end of the hoodmould sunk
into the front wall of the main building. The door opening is slightly tapered
and above the arch a carved frieze of knots and flower motifs; the door is C20.
The west end wall has a diagonal buttress with set offs partly buried in the
wall of the coachhouse to the south west; the west gable has been rebuilt and
rendered. The east end wall a circa C19 round arch doorway on the first floor
approached by a flight of steps.
The doorway, inside the archway, to the ground floor room had a rounded arch
with a wave moulding and pyramid stops and an old plank door with studs. The
ceiling over the carriageway has large closely-spaced unchamfered joists.
Interior: The ground floor room ceiling has deeply chamfered intersecting beams
forming 9 compartments with unchamfered joists. There is a narrow space between
this ceiling and the west end wall. The blocked doorway to the closet/cellar
under the newel stairs has a chamfered triangular almost Tudor arch and pyramid
stops. Inside the stair turret stone winder stairs to first floor doorway which
has a wooden round arch frame with a cyma moulding; the doorway has been
blocked.
The first floor is open to the fine 4-bay Medieval roof; the five arch-braced
trusses have curved feet (raised crucks) and rest on large chamfered sole-plate
strings. The arch braces are chamfered, the collars cranked and the 3 ties of
purlins and diagonal ridgepiece are threaded through the principals. The
original common-rafters appear to have been replaced.
There is a cira late C19 fireplace in the north east corner of the first floor.
Historical note: Colleton was the seat of the Burys from the late C14 and a
chapel was first licenced in 1381 and again in 1402 and 1413 but the existing
building might have been built later in C15.
Sources: Hoskins, W.G. Devon page 368. Country Life 28th August 1915 pp.
296-301. C19 engraving by E. Ashworth.

Listing NGR: SS6687914652

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17526558

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

• 
  This Old House: Restoring, Rehabilitating, and Renovating an Older House
• 
  Kent: West and the Weald: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990
• 
  Renovating Old Houses: Bringing New Life to Vintage Homes (For Pros By Pros)
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990: Updated version
• 
  Lancashire: Liverpool and the South-West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)