Description

DARTMOUTH

SX874510 THE QUAY
673-1/8/254 (South side)
14/09/49 No.4

GV II*

Former merchant's house built in 1664 for Robert Plumleigh,
various minor C18 and C19 alterations and major repairs
1979-1983. Exposed north and west sides are timber-framed;
eastern party wall is stone rubble at ground floor and
timber-framed above; western party wall is stone rubble, it
includes 2 stacks with original Dutch brick star
chimneyshafts. Gable-ended slate roof.
PLAN: Original plan was 2 rooms deep with central stair, but
has been altered. Former rear gallery and back block replaced
by No.3 The Quay (not included).
EXTERIOR: 3 storeys with attics in the roofspace. Jettied west
front to Fairfax Place. End of party wall to right corbels out
with the jetties and includes datestone at first-floor level,
somewhat battered but the date and the initials of Robert
Plumleigh legible. Ground floor has late C19 shop front with
disused bottom-panelled glazed door to right. First floor is
original decorative carpentry; moulded small-panel framing
with ornate oriel (for measured drawings, see sources),
flanking Ionic pilasters carved with fruiting vines and, to
left, the dragon beam of the second-floor jetty supported on a
bracket carved as Samson and the Lion. Second floor also of
original small-panel framing but the 2 oriels restored in
1983. Gable with plain bargeboards contains C20 casement and
is slate-hung. Long south front (onto The Quay) was originally
much plainer than it now appears. It has an irregular 4-window
front with 3 gabled dormers, mostly 1983 casements but based
loosely on what was there before. The couple of pieces of
carved fascia or bargeboard fixed to this front were
discovered in the attic in 1983.
INTERIOR: Although most original partitions apparently
non-structural and mostly removed, there are some good
original features, notably original joist arrangements, hooded
fireplaces some on unusually-ornate timber corbels and
decorated with graffito plaster. Original roof construction
remains (see sources).
An interesting house in a very important situation. The 1983
repairs were accompanied by an archaeological record.
(Proceedings of the Devon Archaeological Society: Thorp, John
RL: 4 The Quay, Dartmouth: a Devon Town-House of 1664: 1983-:
P.107-122).

Listing NGR: SX8782451323

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17534321

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

• 
  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Warwickshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Cork: City and County (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
• 
  Hampshire: Winchester and the North (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  The green guide for historic buildings: how to improve the environmental performance of listed and historic buildings
• 
  Lancashire: Manchester and the South-East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)