Description

BISHOPSTEIGNTON
SX 87 SE

9/18 Wood

23.8.55
II

Small country house in use as farmhouse. Circa 1830 with some late C19 alterations
but probably incorporating parts of an earlier house in the service block. Architect
unknown to date, building designed for the Comyns family who lived at Wood from 1732
to 1957. Colourwashed rendered stone ; slate roof to main range, gabled at ends with
sprocketted eaves to the front, 2 span slate roof, half-hipped at the left end to the
kitchen block ; end stacks with brick shafts to the main range, front lateral stack
to service block. Greek Revival.
Plan: An east-facing double depth main range, slightly irregular at the north west
corner, with 2 principal rooms to the front, one on either side of an entrance hall
containing the stair ; parlour to the left, dining room to the right. An axial
service passage to the rear of the principal rooms links the service block to the
principal front rooms and to the library, behind the parlour. The service block is
probably a remodelling of part of the pre 1830s house and contains kitchen, pantries
and a service stair ; lean-to scullery adjoins the kitchen block on the east front.
The house is attached to a small block or pavilion at the rear right (north west),
now in use as an outbuilding and a pre 1897 photograph in the possession of the owner
shows a short crosswing at the right end of the main range, this no longer exists.
The photograph also shows a parapet to the front elevation and documentation in the
possession of the owner shows that the parapet was removed and extensive repairs were
carried out in 1897.
Exterior: main range 2 storeys, the service block with a lower ground level is 2
storeys and attic. Symmetrical 5 bay east front with a platband and a good stone
Greek Doric portico with an entablature with triglyph frieze, 4 fluted columns to the
front and pilasters to the rear. Half-glazed C19 front door with a rectangular
fanlight, C19 12-pane timber sash windows. The service block is set back at the left
(south) end with a lean-to on the front projecting slightly beyond the front
elevation of the main range. The rear elevation, not quite symmetrical, has a fine 2
storey bow, slightly to left of centre, with 3 12-pane bowed sashes to the ground
floor, 3 similar sashes above ; 12-pane sahes to left and right. At the right
(south) end the rear of the service block has a blind round-headed recess and, at the
left end, an adjoining block with a slate roof, hipped to the west, has a round-
headed window with glazing bars (some slates missing at time of survey). The south
elevation of the service block has 12- and 8-pane timber sash windows with one C20
replacement ; round-headed 2-pane sashes to attic storey. Tall stone rubble walling
and the remains of outbuildings are attached to the kitchen block at the south.
Interior: Good interior features of circa 1830 including plaster cornices, mahogany
panelled doors, shutters and marble chimney-pieces. Principal stair dog-leg with
stick balusters alternating with lyre-shaped cast iron panels, wreathed handrail.
Slightly-coved plaster ceiling to the parlour with decorated plasterwork to the
coving. The dining room has moulded plaster panels above a dado and 2 tall timber
Greek Doric columns at the west end forming a 4-bay colonnade. The library, to the
south-west, is lit by the bow window, decending almost to floor level : the "two
contemporary bookcases" mentioned in the old list description were sold before 1957.
Wood is said originally to have been one of the estates of the Bishops of Exeter. It
was owned by the Comyns family, major landowners, from the early C18 until 1957.
John Comyns, probably the patron of the rebuilding of the house, was squarson from
1801-1836 (Cleland).

W.D. Cleland (ed.), Bishopsteignton, South Devon, A Short History and Guide, (1930).

Listing NGR: SX8904573814

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26440299

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.

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