Gatcombe House
GATCOMBE HOUSE, 1, 2, 3 AND 4
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II*
- List Entry Number:
- 1108554
- Date first listed:
- 09-Feb-1969
- List Entry Name:
- Gatcombe House
- Statutory Address:
- GATCOMBE HOUSE, 1, 2, 3 AND 4
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Location
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Images of England Project
- Date:
- 2002-04-30
- Reference:
- IOE01/06301/11
- Rights:
- © Mrs Jean M. King. Source: Historic England Archive
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II*
- List Entry Number:
- 1108554
- Date first listed:
- 09-Feb-1969
- List Entry Name:
- Gatcombe House
- Statutory Address 1:
- GATCOMBE HOUSE, 1, 2, 3 AND 4
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- GATCOMBE HOUSE, 1, 2, 3 AND 4
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Devon
- District:
- South Hams (District Authority)
- Parish:
- Littlehempston
- National Grid Reference:
- SX 82113 62439
Details
SX 86 SW LITTLEHEMPSTON
5/47 Gatcombe House (Nos 1, 2, 3 and 4) 9.2.69
- II*
Country house divided into four tenements. Circa C16 house altered in C17, C18 and early and mid C19. Stone rubble mostly plastered. Slate roofs. Built around four sides of a small courtyard. Two storeys. The C16 house is on the south side but it is not clearly recognisable, although it contains the former hall. The south elevation has a gable to the right with a double sash on the ground floor and a sash above with a moulded wooden label. Similar label over sash in wing projection to right (south-east). At the centre of the south range, a wide gabled projection externally appears early C19, contains the music room which is of C18, and is three bays with tall sash windows. To left an early C19 conservatory with pilasters and large sashes. The west front was added in circa 1830. Stuccoed with slate hipped roof with bracketed oversailing eaves. Two storeys. Symmetrical 2:3:2 bay front with sash windows complete with glazing bars. Centre advanced with pediment and two orders of pilasters, Doric with Ionic above. Niches either side of centre first floor window and porte cochere with four columns supporting a Doric entablature. The other north and east elevations are asymmetrical and have later accretions. On the east side of the south-east range an old nail-studded plank door. Interior: No 2's former music room has fine C18 plaster ceiling, the oval centrepiece depicting Mars riding an eagle within a sunburst, and musical instruments and implements of war in the corners and a moulded modillion cornice. No 3 has room with C17 moulded plaster ceiling in three compartments with moulded oval panels. First floor plaster vaulted ceiling in upper part of former hall, with C17 geometric moulded plasterwork. The arched principals of the hall roof have been plastered over. No 4 at east end of the hall has moulded granite fireplace in first floor room, three moulded plaster shields in lst floor passage and fine early C18 staircase with three turned balusters per tread and moulded handrail ramped up to fluted column newels. Nos 1 and 2, the circa 1830 addition to west, has moulded plasterwork and niche in hall with fantail dove in the arched head. Gatcombe House was a Domesday Manor. Richard Fortescue sold it to William Bogan (Mayor of Totnes) in 1542. His son married Prothesy Bodley, sister of Sir Thomas Bodley of the Bodleian Library. The west front was added circa 1830 by the Cornish family. In the garden wall adjoining south east a reset tablet inscribed "W.B.1687".
Gatcombe House was the birthplace of Zachary Bogan (1625-1659) who published treatises on Homer and Hesiod.
Listing NGR: SX8211362439
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 100595
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 14-Jun-2026 at 23:07:19.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
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