1 Western Road

Summary

End of terrace house, probably around 1850 but with possible earlier origins.

Reasons for Designation

1 Western Road, Crediton, dating from the mid C19, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

Architectural interest:

* as a good example of a C19 terraced townhouse with some architectural pretension;

* for the survival of many historic features, including the elegant staircase.

Historic interest:

* as part of the C19 development of the western end of Crediton following the relocation of the market;

* for the association with the Berry building firm who constructed several notable buildings in Crediton.

Group value:

* with several nearby Grade II listed buildings including Wystaria and Astolat, also built by the Berry building firm.

History

The core of the town of Crediton was laid out in the mid C13 with a main street running east to west with burgage plots at right-angles to the street frontage. The wide central section of High Street was used as a market well into the C20. The town’s main industry was the manufacture of a woollen cloth called serge and it was upon this that Crediton made its wealth. However this declined from the late C17 and was replaced with other industries including tanning, confectionery making, and boot and shoe manufacture. Disastrous fires in the town in the C18 saw the rebuilding of much of High Street, and in the early C19 the market was relocated. This made High Street a major transport route, connecting with Western Road and Landscore at its west end. The east end of Western Road was developed by the early C20, including the Queen Elizabeth Higher School (1859) and the houses Astolat and Wistaria. It was not until the post-war period that the area was fully developed, including Crediton High School for girls on the north side of the road.

1 Western Road is first shown on the First Edition Ordnance Survey Town Plan of 1889 (1:500) and its footprint does not appear to have changed over the following editions of the 1:2500-scale OS maps. The Town Plan clearly shows the L-shape plan of the house. At the front (north) of the house basement light-wells are depicted.

It is thought that the house was the home of William Berry, who became the head of a firm of local builders and developers founded around 1850. The firm later became Berry & Vincent and their business continued in the town until the 1970s.

Details

The house, thought to date from the 1850s, but with possible earlier origins, is constructed of red brick laid in Flemish bond, with some slate-hung cob to the rear service wing. The roof is hipped at its west end, but is otherwise pitched, slate covered, with a single stack at the east end of the ridge, with deep eaves with moulded, paired eaves-brackets. The buildings form an L-plan created by the two-storey plus basement and attic, three-bay house and a service wing to the rear. The front (north) of the house is symmetrical, with stone steps up to a central recessed five-panel door; the upper panels are glazed. It is set within a doorcase with pilasters, an entablature and panelled reveals. The windows are 12-pane sashes within segmental brick arches. Steps lead down to the basement from the street.

Internally the house is entered into a small entrance hall leading to a hallway flanked by two rooms. There is a service wing to the rear left where the kitchen is located. On the ground floor there is a chamfered cross beam in the eastern room, and there is timber panelling beneath the front facing windows. The staircase has a newel stick baluster and ramped mahogany handrail, and is located on the west side of the hallway. On the first floor are four bedrooms, two located above the rear service wing which have panelled, built in cupboards. The basement and attic rooms are open plan. The basement stair has splat balusters.

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

387132

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Websites
Potpourri - John Berry - the boy done well!, accessed 03 April 2019 from http://www.heardfamilyhistory.org.uk/potpourri.html
Heritage Gateway - Devon & Dartmoor HER - HER number MDV78919, accessed 03 April 2019 from https://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gateway/Results_Single.aspx?uid=MDV78919&resourceID=104
Rightmove – Land Registry Sold Prices, accessed 03 April 2019 from https://www.rightmove.co.uk/house-prices/detailMatching.html?prop=56182548&sale=8914702&country=england

Other
Ordnance Survey Town Plan Crediton (1889) (1:500)
Ordnance Survey Devonshire (1890) (1:2500)
Ordnance Survey Devonshire (1905) (1:2500)
Mid Devon District Council, 2003, Crediton Conservation Area Appraisal

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