Description

SS 90 SW
8/149
5.4.66

THORVERTON
MILFORDS LANE, Thorverton
Acorn House and Acorn Cottage

GV
II

House and adjoining cottage, formerly 1 build. Probably C18, C20 renovations.
Unusual materials of construction : a photograph of the front elevation of Acorn
Cottage with the render stripped off shows local stone rubble up to approximately
first floor level, this acts as a plinth for a frame of timber studs infilled with
cob bricks; the rest of the range may be constructed in the same way; Acorn Cottage
has an internal framed partition wall, with cob brick infill and part, at least, of
the axial stack of Acorn House is also of cob bricks. The exterior is whitewashed
and rendered ; thatched roof, half-hipped at left end, gabled at right end ; axial
stack with brick shaft, right end stack with brick shaft, some evidence for former
left end stack.
Plan Single depth main range, 3 rooms wide (2 rooms to Acorn House, to the left, 1
room to Acorn Cottage at the right) with adjacent front doors to right of centre.
The front door of Acorn House faces a straight stair, the front door to Acorn Cottage
leads directly into the heated room, stair opposite front door. The division of the
range into 2 dwellings has partly obscured the original plan : the stair to the attic
storey is shared between the 2 buildings. Single storey 1 room plan C20 addition at
right end of Acorn Cottage ; 1 room plan 2 storey block under lower roofline at left
end of Acorn House is said to have been converted from a former outbuilding.
Exterior 2 storeys and attic. Tall asymmetrical 5 window front with deep eaves
carried on plain timber brackets. 2 recessed adjacent front doors to right of
centre, the doorways flanked by engaged columns. The right hand column is crowned
with an acorn, the other 2 with what appear to be re-used stone finials although a
thick coat of whitewash obscures the details ; front doors with fielded panels. 12-
pane sashes on either side of the doors have shutters, 12-pane first floor sashes
above them. The other first floor and ground floor windows are of various sizes and
glazing designs. 1 first floor 2-pane sash in Acorn Cottage is probably in an C18 or
early C19 embrasure and there is also a mysterious small rectangular recess with
timber jambs, lintel and sill on the first floor of Acorn House, blocked internally
with lath and plaster. The right return of Acorn Cottage, facing the Dolphin has 1
first floor 12-pane sash and 1 attic storey casement. The rear elevation has a
round-headed sash stair window to Acorn House with margin glazing; a thatched attic
dormer lights the attic storey.
Interior Open fireplaces with stone rubble jambs and timber lintels (largely
rebuilt) to both Acorn House and Acorn Cottage. The stair in Acorn House has stick
balusters and a turned newel post ; some C18 joinery survives in both buildings.
Acorn Cottage has part of an exposed timber frame and cob infill internal partition
wall; Acorn House has a cob brick stack.
Roof No access to apex of roof at time of survey, (1986) but sawn principal rafters
of slender scantling suggest a C19 or later date.
An intriguing range in the centre of Thorverton. It has been suggested that they may
have been part of the Dolphin Inn at one time and extended to occupy part the open
space between it and the Dolphin. Renovations at Acorn Cottage have revealed a
cellar partly under the pavement that may have been associated with brewing for the
Dolphin (Uglow).
There is reputed to be cob brick construction in Bradninch but with this exception
Thorverton is unique in Devon to date in having a handfull of cob brick houses. This
range is the only listed building in Devon known to make use of cob bricks and is of
exceptional interest for this reason.

Listing NGR: SS9256902082

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26551781

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

• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects, Supplement 2014
• 
  Sussex: West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  [(Bedfordshire, Huntingdon and Peterborough)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1968)
• 
  Cornwall (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  London 6: Westminster (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England): Westminster v. 6
• 
  Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius (Penguin Art & Architecture)