Details
HACCOMBE-WITh-COMBE HACCOMBE
SX 87 SE
9/108 Haccombe House
(formerly listed as Hacombe School)
23.8.55
GV II*
Large house, divided into flats. An early C19 remodelling of an C18 house ; there is
some uncertainty about the exact date and extent of the early C19 rebuilding.
White's Devonshire (1879) describes it as "built on the site of an ancient hall, in
1805"; according to Pevsner it was "called 'lately erected in 1803, but also 'built
about 50 years ago' in 1872". Boyd and Whiteaway refer to "changes including the
building of the north east wing and the demolition of the north west wing" in circa
1838. The north-west end of the house is not shown in Swete's watercolour of the
1790s. The manor was owned by Stephen de Haccombe after 1066 and passed into the
hands of his descendents, the Carews, who owned it until 1942. Snecked red
sandstone, formerly stuccoed, with rusticated quoins and stone bands ; 2-span slate
roof, hipped at ends with a dentil eaves cornice ; rendered stacks.
Plan: Symmetrical main block facing north-west with a central entrance into a heated
entrance hall, open well stair in stair hall to the right. Lower, separately roofed
blocks to left and right, front left (north-east) wing.
Exterior: Stone banding and rusticated quoins throughout, the north east wing is
rendered. 3-storey main block, the remainder 2 storeys. Symmetrical 7-bay entrance
(north-west) elevation, the centre 3 bays broken forward. Stone pilasters mentioned
in the old list description no longer exist. Central porch with paired Ionic
columns, reeded pilasters to the rear with a cornice and balustraded parapet. Small
front door with a needed doorcase, broken pediment and deep rectangular fanlight, the
glazing bars mentioned in the old list description do not survive. 12-pane C19
sashes to ground and first floor, 6-pane to second floor, all with moulded
architraves. A 2-storey block adjoining at the right end has tripartite 2-pane
sashes ; the left end block has a tripartite first floor sash, the ground floor sash
adapted as a doorway. The north east wing has a 6-bay front elevation with. giant
pilasters, the centre 4 bays broken forward under a pediment, a 4-bay portico with
Tuscan columns and a cornice and parapet with sunk panels. The rear (south-east)
elevation of the main block is similar to the front elevation but longer, 9 bays, the
windows centre of the bays on the ground floor recessed below 3 reeded round-headed
arches. The eaves cornice is missing and the second storey windows have been
reglazed. The right return of the main block has 2 large stuccoed canted bays on the
ground floor with C20 windows and doors. The rear elevation of the north-east wing
has the centre 4 bays broken forward under a gable, the round-headed windows recessed
behind round-headed openings.
Interior: Not thoroughly inspected but surviving features seen at time of survey
appear to be early C19 : plaster cornice and marble chimneypiece to entrance hall,
large open well stair with twisted balusters.
Group value with Church of St Blaise.
Pevsner, South Devon (1952).
Boyd, M and Whiteaway, P.R., Haccombe with Combeinteignhead Parish History (n.d.) p.
33.
Swete, the Reverend John, 'Swete's Picturesque Sketches of Devon', vol. 10 (1795), Ms
held in D.R.Q.
Listing NGR: SX8981970125
