Description

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 07/12/2012

SS 4630
1/47
15.6.51.

MYRTLE STREET
APPLEDORE
Docton House

GV
II*

House, part used as store which is now disused. Circa late C16 or early C17 with
C19 and C20 alterations to the rear wing. Local stone rubble, left hand end and
rear wing are rendered. Slate roof with gabled ends and black glazed ridge tiles.
The lateral stack at the rear has a tall stone rubble shaft with a moulded cap.
2 stone rubble axial stacks over rear wing.
Plan: Overall L-shaped plan. Long 2-storey front range, its ground floor has 2
unheated rooms comprising a small room at the left hand end separated by a thick
stone partition from the large unpartitioned room taking up the remainder of the
ground floor with a central entrance. The staircase at the right hand end is
probably a later arrangement; it rises from a ground floor doorway at the front to
a doorway on the first floor at the back where the ground is at this level. There
is also a doorway at the bottom and top of the stairs into the ground and first
floors respectively. The ground floor appears to have been a cellar or store but
the first floor must have been a great chamber with a moulded plaster ceiling and 2
lateral fireplaces at the back. Like the ground floor there is a smaller chamber
at the left end which extends into a short rear wing adjoining the main rear wing.
This is heated from a large axial stack with an enormous fireplace (now blocked) and
a small unheated room behind at the end of the wing. The ground floor of the rear
wing is at the same level at the first floor of the main range.

Exterior: 2 storeys.Long almost symmetrical 5-window range. Circa early C19 2-light
12-pane sashes on the first floor, the left hand first floor window is a late C19
or early C20 2-light sash without glazing bars and the right hand window is a large
C18 or early C19 3-light casement. On the ground floor there is a granite bead-
moulded Tudor arch doorway at the centre and a similar doorway at the right of the
front, the latter possibly reused because the lintel is wider than the opening.
Between the 2 doorways a later C19 or C20 doorway and to the left of centre a small
2-light hollow-chamfered window. High up over the central doorway the Docton arms,
a finely carved stone in relief.

The right hand doorway leads into a passage with stairs up to a doorway at the back
at first floor level where the external ground is at first floor level. Inside the
passage there is a plank partition with a chamfered doorframe into the ground floor
room and another doorway into the first floor at the top of the stairs.

The rear elevation has a slightly projecting stack to the left of centre with a
weathered set off and a tall stone rubble shaft with a moulded stone cap. A partly
blocked 3-light chamfered stone mullion window to the right of centre with a small
chamfered window at ground level to the cellar below and a blocked moulded doorway
immediately to the right with a basket arch. The doorway at the left hand end has
a plain granite lintel.

The rear wing appears to have been raised in the late C19 and has 2 small gables
with finials; a chamfered granite Tudor arch doorway to the left almost in the
angle with the front range with a late C19 slated canopy above; the windows at
the left of the rear wing are late C19 sashes and those to the right are late
C20 casements. A chamfered Tudor arch doorway on the outer west side of the
rear wing.

Interior: The large ground floor room has chamfered cross-beads with hollow step
stops. The small ground floor room at the left end has unchamfered joists. There
are no fireplaces on the ground floor.
The large first floor room has 2 moulded granite fireplaces in the back wall with
simple roll moulding and back of herring-bone pattern slates; now partly blocked.
At the left end of the first floor there are 2 ovolo and fillet moulded doorframes
with bar and diabolo stops with qunfrefoils and another ovolo-moulded doorframe
reused in a later partition, dividing the large room. At the left end of the
large first floor room remains of an early C17 moulded plaster ceiling with a
strapwork frieze.

Most of the plaster ceiling on the first floor has collapsed exposing the roof
structure which is complete and has straight principals resting on the wall plate,
notched or dovetail lap jointed straight collars, threaded purlins and threaded
ridgepiece.

Stored in the house and belonging to it were some early C17 panelled and studded
doors, one door has 12 panels.

Listing NGR: SS4643730350

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17536772

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)
• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of Historic Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
• 
  Farrow & Ball How to Decorate: Transform your home with paint & paper
• 
  Herefordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Cumbria: Cumberland, Westmorland and Furness (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy