Description

SS 62 NW CHITTLEHAMPTON HIGH STREET (south side)
1/143 Chittlehampton
Galleon Cottage, Plantaganet
- Cottage and Barnstable House

GV II*

3 adjoining cottages, part of the right end cottage used as shop. Galleon Cottage
and Plantaganet Cottage early C16 in origin, Barnstaple House apparently C17 and
C18, the entire range later subdivided and altered in C19 with late C20 alterations.
Unrendered stone rubble to ground floor, rendered cob above. Thatch roof with gable
ends. Brick shaft to left end, axial stone rubble stack, rendered stack towards
rear right end, and brick stack to gable end of rear wing at right end. Overall L-
shaped plan; Galleon Cottage at left end of 1-room plan with winder staircase
beside gable end stack; Plantaganet Cottage of 2 rooms with back-to-back fireplaces
and steep winder staircase to rear left-hand corner of the left-hand room. Both
Plantaganet and Galleon Cottages have thatched rear outshuts. Barnstaple House of
three rooms in line, with staircases at each end, the 2 left-hand rooms with
fireplaces across the rear angles sharing same stack, and room at right end used as
shop. Kitchen wing to rear right end of 1-room plan, but may originally have
extended further to the south.
Extraordinarily complex and interesting plan development with successive subdivision
and merging of units. The original core, confined to Galleon and Plantaganet
Cottage, comprises a 3-bay open hall house, the heaviest smoke-blackening occurring
towards the left gable end. A closed stud partition now forming the dividing wall
between Galleon and Plantaganet Cottage rises to the apex of the roof between the 2
trusses. To the right and close to the right-hand truss, is the inserted partition
wall incorporating the back-to-back fireplaces to the centre of Plantaganet Cottage,
the fireplace to the right-hand room being clearly a still later development - a
fragment of wall painting apparently cutting through the inserted floor level.
Plantaganet Cottage itself was later divided into 2 cottages of 1-room plan each,
with evidence of a demolished staircase in the rear right-hand corner of the right-
hand room. Similarly, Barnstaple House which appears to be a late C17/early C18
addition was also occupied as 2 cottages, with a solid wall partition between them,
later becoming an alehouse and in C20 a single private dwelling.
2 storeys. 8-window range. Galleon Cottage and Plantaganet Cottage retain
principally C19 fenestration with 2-light casements, 2 of 4 panes to left, 2 of 6
panes to right above 2 stable doors each with two 2-light casements 6 panes per
light to right. The window to the right of the entrance door to Galleon Cottage has
a wide timber lintel and is inserted in a blocked doorway - possibly the original
entrance. The right-hand window to Plantaganet Cottage is also an insertion into a
blocked doorway, Barnstaple House has all C20 fenestration of 2-light metal
casements with square leaded panes. Rear wing retains mainly C19 fenestration.
Interiors. Ground floor of Galleon Cottage not accessible, but has chamfered cross
ceiling beam close to gable end stack, C17 or C18 timber door surrounds to rear
outshut, and timber winder staircase beside gable end stack. Plantaganet Cottage
has steep timber winder staircase to rear of left-hand room, chamfered fireplace
lintel and hollow step stopped bressumer. Right-hand room has small fireplace with
rounded stone back and a fragment of early wall painting to the same wall which
continues above the inserted floor. Hollow step-stopped bressumer to upper end.
Barnstaple House has adjacent fireplaces across the rear angles of the 2 principal
rooms with chamfered lintels. Chamfered cross ceiling beam with hollow step stops
to left-hand room. Rear kitchen wing has creamery niche. C18 raised and fielded 2-
panelled door between 2 principal chambers with H-L hinges.
Roof structure. The trusses to Barnstaple House have pegged apexes to straight
principals with waney rafters and purlins. 2 trusses of Galleon and Plantaganet
Cottage are listed in the 'Cruck Catalogue' as true crucks, and have 2 tiers of
threaded purlins and ridge purlin. A remarkable survival, possibly unique in North
Devon, is a large number of scantle slates underneath the thatched roof towards the
left gable end, with small wooden pegs; the closely spaced battens indicate this
was the original roof covering, and the slates themselves, battens, rafters and main
roof members are heavily smoke-blackened. The use of slates in the late medieval
period probably stems from the location of the building in a dense area of nucleated
settlement, as a means of reducing the fire risk.

Listing NGR: SS6355525462

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17532559

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

• 
  Cumbria: Cumberland, Westmorland and Furness (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Suffolk: East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Development and Design of Heritage Sensitive Sites: Strategies for Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas
• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of History Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
• 
  Huddersfield in 50 Buildings