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

• Wikidata Q17533445

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Recommended Books

• 
  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Hampshire: South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Churches: An Architectural Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  London 6: Westminster (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England): Westminster v. 6
• 
  Department for Communities Listed Historic Buildings of Northern Ireland: Information Guide for the 2nd Survey of Historic Buildings
• 
  Yorkshire: York and the East Riding (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)