Description

ST TEATH TEAGUE TERRACE, St Teath
SX 0680 -0780
7/209 Community Centre to north west of
- Church of St Tetha
GV II*

Probable church house now used as community centre, the ground floor in process of
conversion from store (1986). Circa C16. Stone rubble. Slate roof with gable ends.
Projecting stone rubble end stacks to left (north east) and right (south west), the
shafts removed.
Plan : 2 storey 2 or 3 room plan, the front facing north west and the churchyard
directly to rear (south east) where the ground is at a higher level. The Church of
St Tetha (qv) lies directly to the south east. The ground drops down gradually to
the right (south west). Overall rectangular plan with 2 entrances to ground floor on
front and possibly blocked door to rear left, the churchyard ground level to rear
probably having been risen. External stone rubble and slate stair to first floor on
left hand (north east) gable end. The internal partitions have been removed, the
left hand fireplace blocked and several possibly C19 fireplaces have been inserted on
the front and rear walls.
The original plan is uncertain; possibly with large room to left and smaller service
room to right, both heated by end stacks. The original position of the entrance is
uncertain but may have been to right of centre, directly into the right hand room
with a plank and muntin partition screen on the higher left hand side. Possible
blocked entrance to rear left which would have given direct entrance from churchyard
into larger left hand room. The first floor joists remain in situ with 6 heavy cross
beams and 2 slighter half beams at the ends, the left hand half beam is chamfered
with stepped run-out stops. The first cross beam to the left (north east) is
chamfered on the higher, left hand side directly opposite the fireplace with a
complex moulding on the right hand side. The second, third and fourth beams all have
complex mouldings and the fifth beam has a complex moulding on the higher left hand
(north east) side and a deep chamfer on the right hand (south west) side. Mortice
holes for plank and muntin screen in fifth cross beam. The sixth beam has a heavy
chamfer on both sides. All the cross beams have fine quality mouldings and pyramid
stops; the floor joists between the complex moulded cross beams have bead moulding,
and the floor joists between the chamfered cross beams are unmoulded. The left hand
(north east) fireplace is asymmetrically placed in the gable end with what appears to
be a blocked opening to the left (north west) possibly for a stair turret (now
removed). On the first floor 2 trusses were replaced in circa C19 with 5 raised
cruck trusses, only the pronounced curved feet visible. The trusses are painted and
the collars and apices not accessible so it is unclear whether the trusses are clean
or whether there were internal partitions. The masonry below the eaves line on the
interior suggests that the roof has been raised. There is a straight joint near the
centre on the rear elevation suggesting partial rebuilding of the rear wall and the
front elevation has several blocked opening suggesting later remodelling.
The first floor of the church house was used as a dame's school in the C19 and early
C20 and the ground floor was reputedly used by unmarried mothers possibly explaining
the insertion of the additional fireplaces.
Exterior : 2 storey north west front elevation with openings altered. Window and
door opening to left and door and window opening to right. 3 windows above. Rear
elevation of one and half storeys, the ground level raised with remains of earlier
granite mullion window openings, a 2 light mullion window to rear right.
Interior : Floor level lowered in late C20. Heavy cross beams with deep chamfer at
lower left hand side and higher right hand side and with fine quality complex
moulding comprising hollow chamfer, fillet and cyma reversa, all with pyramid stops.
Fireplace to left blocked with the deep slightly hollow chamfered jambs and lintels
partly visible. Roughly chamfered lintel to right hand fireplace and circa C19
lintels to fireplaces on front and rear walls. 8 bay roof with 2 trusses on left
(north east) replaced in circa C19. 5 raised cruck trusses of circa C16 with
pronounced curved feet and mortices probably for lower tier of butt purlins. A
ceiling has been inserted below collar level and the collars and apices were
inaccessible.
Particularly interesting house, possibly a rare survival of a church house with
interesting plan and high quality complex moulded floor joists.

Listing NGR: SX0638080614

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17531810

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

• 
  Kent: West and the Weald: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Herefordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990: Updated version
• 
  Suffolk: East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Development and Design of Heritage Sensitive Sites: Strategies for Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas
• 
  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides): Written by Charles O'Brien, 2014 Edition, Publisher: Yale University Press [Hardcover]