Description

COMBE RALEIGH
SY 10 SE

6/112 Ellishayes Farmhouse

22.2.55

II

Farmhouse. Circa early C17 with substantial late C20 alterations. Stone rubble;
slate roof, gabled at ends; 2 axial stacks, left end stack, rear lateral stack.
Plan: Overall U plan, a single depth main range, 4 rooms wide with an approximately
central 2-storey porch into the cross passage. High quality features at both ends of
the house: to the left of the passage a heated room, stack backing on to passage with
2 service rooms at the left end (the left end stack is probably secondary). The
right hand end of the range consists of a small heated room (not seen at time of
survey), and an extremely large high quality parlour, lit by large transomed window
in the right end wall. The rear right wing is a converted agricultural building, the
rear left wing may have been a service wing. Extensive C20 alterations have included
some re-partitioning at the left end and a replacement stair rising against the rear
right wall with access from the cross passage.
Exterior: 2 storeys; built across the slope of the land giving 3 storeys at the right
end. Impressive, almost symmetrical 4 window front with regular fenestration and a 2
storey gabled porch in the centre with a coped gable with a finial and a moulded
Tudor arched arch doorframe with carved spandrels, the jambs and lintel with shallow
carving. Fine timber inner door, panelled, with studs with a good doorframe, the
datestone over the outer doorway now illegible but said to be 1620s (old list
description). Good set of C17 ovolo-moulded mullioned windows, 3-light to the porch,
otherwise 4-light, the 2 ground floor windows to the right of the porch with
hoodmoulds. The right return of the main range, which has an extra room below the
ground floor with a blocked 3-light mullioned window, has a fine 6-light transomed
ground floor window with a king mullion and a hoodmould; 4-light mullioned first
floor window above.
Interior: In spite of C20 alterations a number of interesting features survive. The
ground floor right hand room has a good moulded ashlar Beerstone chimney-piece with
splayed jambs to the lateral stack. Round the right end window the remains of a
plaster frieze of winged horses survives and there is an ornamental plaster ceiling
to the window recess. It is likely that this room had one of the "fine plaster
ceilings" taken down before 1950 (old list description). The first floor room above
also has a good stone fireplace, the remains of decorated plasterwork, including
shields, on the right end wall and C17 ovolo-moulded stopped timber doorframe. The
left side partition of the cross passage has a timber chamfered doorframe with a
Tudor arch. The room to the left has been re-partitioned but retains exposed ceiling
beams, a fine plank and muntin screen with ovolo-moulded muntins to the rear and
another similar screen to the left including a good doorframe and door which now
leads into a stair cell to the rear left. The front left room has a blocked C17
doorframe on its rear wall, it was originally only accessible from the room behind
it. The axial stack has been altered but may retain its original lintel and jambs.
Roof: C20 replacement.
According to Polwhele Ellishayes was "sold .... to Hugh Crossing, alderman of Exeter,
whose only son Francis built there a good house, called Ellis's; fit for a free heart
to entertain his friends", (The History of Devonshire (first edn. 1793), p. 329.

Listing NGR: ST1565603613

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26570149

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.

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