Vicars Stalls

Details

CHULMLEIGH EAST STREET, (north side), SS 6814 -6914 Chulmleigh 7/54 Vicars Stalls 20.2.67 (Formerly listed as The Elms) GV II House. Probably late C15, with late C16 alterations, heavily remodelled and extended circa 1880. Unrendered stone rubble. Thatch roof, hipped at left end, gable end to right. Rendered brick stack at left end, brick shaft to stone rubble stack at right end and rear lateral brick stack to rear range. Plan: complex multiphase development, the later alterations obscuring original plan form. The main range consists of a former open hall house of some stature, with 7 raised cruck trusses surviving, all evenly but relatively lightly smoke-blackened. It is unclear whether the house may have originally extended further at the lower end and may also have done so at the upper, left end. Probably in the mid to late C16 the house appears to have been largely remodelled, the exposed ceiling to the former large single room to the right of the entrance hall suggesting this end was used as a parlour, with a kitchen at the higher left end. Circa 1880 the house was again extensively remodelled, the large principal room being partitioned to form a small room to the right of the entrance hall with an axial rear passage to the larger end room. At the same time an extension of 1 room plan, parallel with the main range, was added to the rear and a grand staircase built at the rear of the entrance hall. To the left of the entrance hall, the kitchen was also partitioned to create a small office (used originally as doctor's dispensary) immediately to the left of the entrance. Exterior: 2 storeys. 4 window range. All C19 3 light casements, 3 panes per light. Ground floor has 2 C19 transomed mullion windows of 3 lights to right of panelled and part-glazed doorway. Late C19 greenhouse attached at right end of main range in enclosed garden. Interior: right-hand room has fine framed ceiling with heavily modelled beams, only 2 panels and part of a third of which are exposed. The remainder has been concealed by the late C19 remodelling which is also of a good quality, with moulded plaster cornice to the right-hand room. The added range to the rear is completely unspoilt with a good late C19 decorative plaster cornice and rich marble chimneypiece. Late C19 geometric staircase to rear of entrance hall. Kitchen has hollow chamfered cross ceiling beam and brick arch to fireplace; the original timber lintel was corbelled out. Several C17 doors survive to upper storey over kitchen end. Roof structure consists of 7 trusses in all, the short curved feet of the principals supported on partially exposed chamfered timber wall plate. The trusses carry 2 tiers of butt purlins and diagonally threaded ridge purlin, with morticed and tenoned slightly cranked collars, some of the collars have been removed. The roof has been modified to a hip at the left end, and the lower end truss is set close to gable end wall and the principals have soffits grooved to the apex, as if to take a closed partition.

Listing NGR: SS6888214287

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

97232

Legacy System:

LBS

End of official list entry

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