The Old Custom House
THE OLD CUSTOM HOUSE, 4, BAYARDS COVE
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1197571
- Date first listed:
- 11-Dec-1969
- List Entry Name:
- The Old Custom House
- Statutory Address:
- THE OLD CUSTOM HOUSE, 4, BAYARDS COVE
Location
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Images of England Project
- Date:
- 2001-08-02
- Reference:
- IOE01/04995/16
- Rights:
- © Mr Brian Head. Source: Historic England Archive
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1197571
- Date first listed:
- 11-Dec-1969
- List Entry Name:
- The Old Custom House
- Statutory Address 1:
- THE OLD CUSTOM HOUSE, 4, BAYARDS COVE
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:
- THE OLD CUSTOM HOUSE, 4, BAYARDS COVE
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Devon
- District:
- South Hams (District Authority)
- Parish:
- Dartmouth
- National Grid Reference:
- SX 87834 51028
Details
DARTMOUTH
SX874510 BAYARDS COVE 673-1/8/30 (West side) 11/12/69 No.4 The Old Custom House
GV II
Formerly known as: No.4 Custom House or Trinity House BAYARDS COVE. House, former Custom House. Built 1737-39 on site of 4 cottages which were acquired by John Seale who erected the new building and leased it to H.M. Customs and Excise; extra storey added c1930, converted to domestic residence c1985. Painted Flemish-bond brick; brick chimneyshafts to front end and rear lateral stacks; slate roof. PLAN: Double-depth plan building, 2 rooms wide with central entrance to passage and rear staircase. Service rooms to rear with rear lateral stack. EXTERIOR: Originally 2 storeys with attics, raised to 3 storeys c1930. Symmetrical 1:3:1-window front, the centre broken forward very slightly under pediment. 16-pane sashes under flat arches at ground-floor level, larger 12-pane sashes under low segmental arches on the first floor, and three 12-pane sashes to C20 added second floor. Large timber central front doorway has double 3-panel door under a plain overlight and timber surround with eared architrave under segmental hood on shaped timber brackets - the date 1739 is painted below. Shallow plat band at second-floor level in place of original eaves cornice. Present deep eaves with plastered soffit to parallel gable-ended roof with front pediment. Lower part of left lead downpipe is original with winged cherub heads on the fixing straps. INTERIOR: Well-preserved. Entrance passage lined with panelling in 2 heights - flat rails and muntins with shallow ovolo mouldings and vertical plank panelling (fragmentary remains of similar panelling first-floor front). Open-well open-string stair with slender turned balusters with blocks, turned newel posts, moulded flat handrail and (early) curtail step. First floor has timber box cornice including deep coving. Late C20 partitions curve round central moulded plaster section of ceiling - hollow rib oval panel around central face in starburst and, around the oval, female heads and fleur-de-lys-like finials. Interesting brick building with many similarities with The Mansion House, No.2 Mansion House Street (qv) built in 1736. Freeman publishes an 1887 photograph of The Custom House, before the third storey was added (see sources). One of a good group of listed buildings on the old quay. (Freeman, Ray: Dartmouth and its Neighbours: Phillimore: 1990-: PL.99; P.139).
Listing NGR: SX8783051024
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 387158
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Sources
Books and journals
Freeman, R, Dartmouth and its Neighbours, (1990), 139
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 20-Jun-2026 at 07:18:18.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
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