Description

SX 86 SW LITTLEHEMPSTON

5/47 Gatcombe House (Nos 1, 2,
3 and 4)
9.2.69

- II*

Country house divided into four tenements. Circa C16 house altered in C17, C18
and early and mid C19. Stone rubble mostly plastered. Slate roofs. Built
around four sides of a small courtyard. Two storeys. The C16 house is on the
south side but it is not clearly recognisable, although it contains the former
hall. The south elevation has a gable to the right with a double sash on the
ground floor and a sash above with a moulded wooden label. Similar label over
sash in wing projection to right (south-east). At the centre of the south
range, a wide gabled projection externally appears early C19, contains the music
room which is of C18, and is three bays with tall sash windows. To left an
early C19 conservatory with pilasters and large sashes. The west front was
added in circa 1830. Stuccoed with slate hipped roof with bracketed oversailing
eaves. Two storeys. Symmetrical 2:3:2 bay front with sash windows complete
with glazing bars. Centre advanced with pediment and two orders of pilasters,
Doric with Ionic above. Niches either side of centre first floor window and
porte cochere with four columns supporting a Doric entablature. The other north
and east elevations are asymmetrical and have later accretions. On the east
side of the south-east range an old nail-studded plank door. Interior: No 2's
former music room has fine C18 plaster ceiling, the oval centrepiece depicting
Mars riding an eagle within a sunburst, and musical instruments and implements
of war in the corners and a moulded modillion cornice. No 3 has room with C17
moulded plaster ceiling in three compartments with moulded oval panels. First
floor plaster vaulted ceiling in upper part of former hall, with C17 geometric
moulded plasterwork. The arched principals of the hall roof have been plastered
over. No 4 at east end of the hall has moulded granite fireplace in first floor
room, three moulded plaster shields in lst floor passage and fine early C18
staircase with three turned balusters per tread and moulded handrail ramped up
to fluted column newels. Nos 1 and 2, the circa 1830 addition to west, has
moulded plasterwork and niche in hall with fantail dove in the arched head.
Gatcombe House was a Domesday Manor. Richard Fortescue sold it to William Bogan
(Mayor of Totnes) in 1542. His son married Prothesy Bodley, sister of Sir
Thomas Bodley of the Bodleian Library. The west front was added circa 1830 by
the Cornish family. In the garden wall adjoining south east a reset tablet
inscribed "W.B.1687".

Gatcombe House was the birthplace of Zachary Bogan (1625-1659) who published
treatises on Homer and Hesiod.

Listing NGR: SX8211362439

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17533445

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

• 
  Devon (Pevsner Buildings of England)
• 
  Yorkshire West Riding: Sheffield and the South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Kent: North East and East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Suffolk: East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)