Description

This entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 29/08/2018.

SY 08 NE
5/84

NEWTON POPPLEFORD AND HARPFORD
Newton Poppleford
STATION ROAD,
Nos. 1 (Oak Apple Cottage), 2 (Conan Cottage), 3 (Primrose Cottage) and 4 (The Cottage)

30.6.61

GV
II*
Row of four small cottages in what was once a single large house. Probably early C17 with later C17 alterations; rearranged and divided into cottages probably in the late C18-early C19. Plastered cob on stone rubble footings; two stacks of plastered stone (probably ashlar) with original ashlar chimney shafts exposed, another of cob and a fourth of stone rubble or brick, the last two topped with plastered C20 brick; slate roof (formerly thatch).

The creation of the present row of four one-room plan cottages caused a rearrangement of the original house and has done much to disguise its layout. Nevertheless it appears that the original was a large three- or four-room-and-through-passage plan house facing north with the inner room at the left (eastern) end (No.1). The end stack here has been rebuilt in the C20. The hall, which appears to have been floored from the beginning and has a large lateral stack projecting from the front, is now occupied by No.2 and the adjoining passage of No.1. The through passage appears to survive in situ. It and the first of two service end rooms which also has a large projecting front lateral stack is now occupied by No.3, and No.4 occupies the second service end room. It has a projecting end stack built of cob and probably late C17 in date. The original staircase no longer survives although a curious beam arrangement in No.2 might suggest that it rose from the lower end of the hall. All the cottages have C20 rear outshots and that belonging to No.2 is two storeys.

The main block is two storeys throughout and apparently has been so since the beginning. Irregular overall six-window front of mostly C20 casements with glazing bars but including two original windows at first floor level at the left end (No.4); they are oak-framed and three lights with ovolo-moulded mullions. All except one of the first floor windows are half-dormers with flat roofs. No.1 has a C20 front door, No.2 a C19 part-glazed, panelled front door with overlight and No.3 has the original front passage doorway, a wide oak frame with flat-arched head containing a C20 plank door. No.4 has a C20 door in the right end wall. The two original stacks project boldly from the front and appear wholly original. Both have weathered offsets and tall ashlar chimney shafts. The hall stack (No.2) has a double shaft and ground floor fire windows on either side, the right one is arch-headed and may be the doorway of a removed oven. The other stack, to the inner service room in No.3, is most unusual in that it was built to include a projecting oriel bay, as shown by the chamfered plinth which continues right across below the window. The window itself is C20 but has an oak frame around with pegs showing the positions of the original mullions. The roof is gable-ended. In the right end wall (No.4) there is an oak two-light window frame with a chamfered mullion, probably late C17.

Interior: despite the internal rearrangement caused by subdivision the original fabric appears to be relatively well-preserved and, unusual in Devon, appears to be all early C17. The arrangement of the roof trusses implies that the building once extended further both ends and this might explain why the end stacks are secondary. All the rooms have soffit-chamfered and scroll-stopped beams but those in the hall (No.2) and inner service room (No.3) have broader chamfers and larger stops denoting higher status for these rooms. Only the oak-framed partition between the service end rooms (now party wall between Nos. 3 and 4) is partly exposed but other original framed crosswalls and the original passage screens probably survive behind C19 and C20 plaster. The inner service end room fireplace (in No.3) has been rebuilt in the C20 like the end fireplaces. In the hall however (No.2) the originals survive on the ground and first floors. The former is large with Beerstone jambs and soffit-chamfered oak lintel; the latter is small with Beerstone jambs and oak lintel and a double hollow-chamfered moulded surround with urn stops. There is a curious beam arrangement in the hall. The passage side crossbeam of the two here does not span the full width of the building. Instead it is supported on an oak post well short of the rear wall. This, however, appears deliberate since the rear end is neatly scroll-stopped. This may be because the original stairs rose behind. The original roof is intact from end to end and is supported on seven side-pegged jointed cruck trusses with cambered collars morticed, tenoned and pegged to the principals and carrying two sets of massive threaded purlins and a ridge. It is completely clean.

This row of cottages is very attractive and typical of the Devon vernacular with its plastered walls and large projecting stacks. It is however a single phase early C17 building which is unusual for the county. The original house is also unusually large and may once have been even larger. Further discoveries may require a reassessment of the above interpretation.

According to the owners it was once a school and before that the Paradise Inn.

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17546948

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

• 
  Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Norfolk 1: Norwich and North-East: Norwich and North-east v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Suffolk: East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Churches: An Architectural Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Liverpool: Pevsner City Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)