Description

CHUDLEIGH
SX 88 SE
1/31 Whiteway House
23.8.55
II*
Large House. Largely 1770s built for the first Lord Borrington with early C19
alterations. There is some uncertainty about the dating : Pevsner describes it as
"Queen Anne with additions of 1812 and 1815" but the 1973 sale particulars state that
in 1765 "there existed little more than a farmhouse on the site". Flemish bond brick
; slate roof concealed behind a parapet with corner urns ; brick stacks with moulded
cornices, some stone dressings, rear elevation rendered.
Rectangular plan, the south-facing garden elevation with a central canted bay and the
5 principal rooms facing south. Entrance on the east end with an entrance hall
leading into an axial corridor. Open well stair on the north side of the corridor in
the centre is domed and top-lit. A probably early C19 wing at right angles to the
main range and facing east was demolished between 1967 and 1973. A separately-roofed
service block, parallel to the main range at the rear has also been demolished. It
is difficult to disentangle the phases of building : the exterior appears to be
consistent with a date of 1774 (dated rainwater head) although a medallion in the
pediment on the east front is probably early C18. The internal detail of the 3
principal central rooms and the entrance hall looks surprisingly early for the 1770s
but the stair hall, west end room and some of the moulded cornices may well be early
C19.
3 storeys. Symmetrical 7 window east elevation the central 3 bays pedimented with
pilasters above a 3-bay Tuscan portico with a panelled soffit. Moulded cornice below
parapet; platbands at first and second floor levels. A medallion in the pediment has
a bust in relief: it has been suggested that this depicts Queen Anne. The old list
description refers to ground to eaves pilasters at the left and right, these no
longer exist. Central 2-leaf front door with fielded panels and a doorcase with
panelled soffit and reveals ; semi-circular fanlight with spoke glazing bars. The
door is flanked by 12-pane sashes under the portico, 2 similar windows to left and
right with flat ribbed brick arches, similar first floor windows. The second floor
windows are 3 over 6 pane sashes with flat ribbed brick arches. A 1 window extension
on the ground floor at the right end is all that remains of the former linking block
between the main range and stables.
Symmetrical 5 bay south elevation, the central bay 5-sided and crowned with a vase,
the flanking bays slightly set back ; the outer bays slightly broken forward.
Moulded cornice below parapet ; platbands and sill bands. The central ground floor
window in the bay is round-headed with a stone architrave, open pediment with
enriched consoles, a keyblock and a round-headed sash with margin glazing. Similar
first floor sash with a round-headed architrave and keyblock. The second floor sash
has a stone architrave and cornice and 3 over 6 panes. The flanking facets of the
bay are glazed with similar sashes to those on the east front. The bays to left and
right of the centre have ground and first floor Venetian windows keyblocks. The
second floor windows are tripartite sashes with moulded cornices and stone architrave
hand in some of the late C18 details.
Photographs in the NMR taken in 1962 show the now demolished 5-bay north-east wing ;
the demolished service range and a separate C19 service block to the rear.
A fine house with a notable interior.

Listing NGR: SX8767682951

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Whiteway House at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q16903212

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

• 
  Gwent/Monmouthshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Wales)
• 
  Lancashire: Manchester and the South-East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Cambridgeshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  London 4: North: North v. 4 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  ENGLAND GUIDE TO POST WAR LISTED: A Guide to Post-war Listed Buildings
• 
  Old House Care and Repair