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Summary

An imposing building, the earliest parts of which date to the 14th century. The house was enlarged and remodelled in the 16th century and restored in the 19th and 20th centuries. It retains a number of 16th century features including an initialed datestone of 1563 over the porch and wall paintings in the roof space.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (I) 1213714: KNIGHTSTONE

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SY19SW/7
• Old Listed Building Ref (I): 398330

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• COUNTRY HOUSE (XIV to XVII - 1301 AD to 1700 AD (Between))

Full description

MESSENGER, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV1420.

Vis=no further information (messenger).
Messenger, a. W. B. /dcnq/20(1938-1939)381/knightstone in ottery st. Mary.

Everett, A. W., Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV17322.

Vis=knightstone is a medieval house of probably 14th century to which alterations were made in elizabeth's reign and again in late 17th century. The elizabethan alterations included insertion of two large mullioned windows in west wall of hall and of a central fireplace with a mullioned window on each side in the east wall. Also the minstrel gallery over the screens passage was partitioned off from the hall, and the hall ceiled. The was anciently a chapel but its location has not been found. Other architectural features and alterations are described (everett).
Everett, a. W. /dcnq/20(1938-1939)379-381/knightstone in ottery st. Mary.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV177625.

Vis=hall chimney piece 1567. The house was restored in 1837 (pevsner).
Pevsner, n. /buildings of england: s. Devon/(1952)193.

ROSE-TROUP, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV22906.

Vis=house stands on the site of an important estate within the medieval manor of ottery st. Mary (rose-troup).
Rose-troup, f. /tda/66(1934)224/medieval customs and tenures in the manor of ottery st. Mary.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, Untitled Source (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV24.

Knightstone; built in 1380 by the de knightstone family, but later passing through many hands including the family of lady jane grey. Southern end of house is xv century where two windows of a chapel remain. Date stone 1607.
Vis=12/11/1953 (os). Apart from slight modernisation and a tiled roof the house is in part xvii and xvi. The majority however is of late xiv century (os).
Visited 27th November 1953. The property, now called "Knightstone" is in excellent condition. The chapel is at SY10729414. The owner states that the 1607 datestone on the porch is an insertion into a much earlier structure.
Visited 14th November 1975. the present owner stated that the hall was built before 1380. Otherwise no change to previous information
Osa=sy19sw2/photo.

HUSSEY, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV306250.

Vis=there was once a gatehouse 70 feet from the house because foundations have been unearthed there (hussey).
Hussey, c. /country life/108(1950)754-839.

Wilkin, W. H., Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV31915.

Vis=coats of arms of past owners of knightstone referred to. In august, 1933, the plaster ceiling of the hall fell, leaving the hall open to the roof (wilkin).
Wilkin, w. H. /dcnq/20(1938-1939)313-314/knightstone in ottery st. Mary.

Department of Environment, Untitled Source (Report - Survey). SDV326805.

Vis=full description given. Nbr in nmr. First listed 28/4/1952 (doe).
Doe/hhr:ottery st. Mary ud/(11/1/1974)30.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV335.

Vis=nothing to add (hoskins).
Hoskins, w. G. /devon/(1954)449.

Seymour, D. J., Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV4302.

Vis=nothing to add (seymour).
Seymour, d. J. /t. T. N. H. S. /12(1955-1958)12/the smaller manor houses of medieval devon.

Delderfield, E., Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV58755.

Vis=full description of house given (delderfield).

ALCOCK, CITING LAITHWAITE, Untitled Source (Report - Survey). SDV99514.

Vis=jointed crucks recorded (alcock, citing m. Laithwaite).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV99518.

French, k. + c. /tda/89(1957)131/devonshire plasterwork.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV99519.

Des=western morning news/eric delderfield/9th december 1977/scrapbook 2, p.14. /photograph.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV99525.

Coate, m. /tda/90(1958)27/the corporation of the church of st. Mary, ottery.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV99532.

Alcock, n. W. /cruck construction(cba res rep 42)/(1981)111.

Gover, J. E. B. + Mawer, A. + Stenton, F. M., 1931, The Place-Names of Devon: Part One (Monograph). SDV1312.

Vis=documented in 1238,1330 and 1378 (mawer et al).
Gover, j. E. B. + mawer, a. + stenton, f. M. /the place-names of devon/(1931)605-606.

Frankland, V., 1983, Ploughing Protests. Farmer in Land Row Complains of a Vendetta (Article in Serial). SDV99513.

Vis=new owner of knightstone is removing hedges (honiton news).
Honiton news/(11/3/1983)1/in parish file.

Shekede, L., 1996, Knightstone Manor: Wall Painting (Correspondence). SDV346869.

Visited 21st November 1996. Wall paintings in the roof space above the hall are of great intrinsic interest. Although mostly obscured by later layers of limewash, uncovering tests revealed that the entire wall below the collar beam was decorated - an area of approximately 6.5 metres - much of which appears to survive beneath the limewas in fairly good condition. Unusually, two superimposed paint schemes exist; the earlier scheme was executed on a lime skim over a lime/hair plaster on a wattle and ddaub support, and consists of a monochrome design executed in carbon black on a lime white ground. This appears to incorporate architectural elements and a simple guilloche border, all of which suggests a date in the last quarter of the 16th century.
The later scheme was painted on a thin lime skim applied directly over the earlier painting in black, white and red. Uncovering tests revealed parts of an intriguing figurative scene wich may be identifiable and dateable if the painting is fully revealed.
The presence of paining in this almost inaccessible location strongly supports other evidence that the curren upper south wall of thehall is a later insert, and that the paintings originally decorated the back wall of a gallery such as that at Kirby Hall, Northants., and were intended to be viewed from the dais end of the hall.
The paintings are currently accessed through an opening one metre wide in the east side of the painted wall. This opening was presumably made to facilitate the installation of a heating system. A large part of the figurative scene was at this time lost, and the remaining painting is clearly vulnerable to further damage. Of particular concern is the area of paining immediately adjacent to the opening where the save backing has been removed, leaving this area entirely unsupported. Cracks have already appeared in the plaster at this point.

Matthews, N. C., 1996, Wall Painting - Hall End Wall Loft Area (Correspondence). SDV346870.

There is little doubt that the wall paintings are contemporary with the original structure of the building.
The painting covers the majority of the partition wall in the loft area, though it is at present uncertain whether it extends above the mid height rafter in the roof truss. In total it covers an area of between 8 and 10 square metres.
It may have been water based and painted 'a fresco' (applied to the final plaster coat before it had set). The comparative lack of absorption evident in the limited areas presently exposed however, suggest that they are oil based and were applied after theplaster had dried.

Matthews, N. C., 1996, Wall Painting - Hall End Wall Loft Area (Correspondence). SDV346871.

Paint sample analysis shows the black pigment to be composed of finely ground coal. Coal dust was used as a pigment in 17th century graining. The white pigment is Calcite, which may well be derived from limewash. It is not derived from chalk, as no coccoliths were in evidence.

Shekede, L., 1997, Knightstone Manor, Ottery St Mary: Conservation Proposal (Report - non-specific). SDV351837.

Knightstone Manor is an imposing stone-built structure, the earliest parts of which date to the 14th century. The building was considerably enlarged and remodelled in the 16th century, and retains many features from this phase, including the recently discovered late 16th century paintings in the roof space on the south side of the hall. See report for full details.

1997, Proposed Conservation and Repair of Wall Painting: Knightstone Manor, Ottery St. Mary (Correspondence). SDV346872.

Correspondence regarding formal proposal for conservation of wall painting.

Stoten, G., 2006, Ottery St Mary to Aylesbeare, Devon: Archaeology and Heritage Survey, 19, Gazetteer, Map 1 (Report - Survey). SDV347996.

Site 19. Knightstone was originally built in 1380 but has been subject to later rebuilds. Heritage site of high significance. Potential for currently unrecorded archaeology low.

English Heritage, 2011, Historic Houses Register (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV346128.

Knightstone, Knightstone Road..
Fourteenth century and later, 2 storey, stone building facing west, 2 gabled wings, on either side with 2 storey porch attached to right wing. On right is extension with rendered walls believed to contain parts of the old chapel for which a licence was given by Bishop Brantingham in 1381. Blank 2-light window, with old oak mullions and trefoil heads, in the wall. Over the porch is date stone with
initials of Gideon Sharman and wife 1563. The house was bought by his father. It had been the property of Thos. Grey, Marquis of Dorset, whose wife built the Dorset aisle in the Church and was the grandmother of Lady Jane Grey. Left of porch are 2 large 9-light stone mullion transom windows, lighting large hall left of passage. Fine timbered roof and perfect deep plaster frieze with grotesque figures. 2 stone 4-centred doorways on the north wall. Passage, with 2 old doors, leads through the house. At the rear, 2 long wings, one of which has pigeon holes with alighting perches. House recently carefully restored, and is a fine example of a 16th century mansion. Other old features remain.

Österlund, J. E., 2011, Welcome to Knightstone Manor (Website). SDV346868.

Clark, J., 2013, Knightstone (Un-published). SDV357876.

A medieval and Tudor house rediscovered and improved in the C19 and C20. The C19 improver was Dr. Drury, headmaster of Harrow. His family owned the house from 1803 to 1886, and were responsible for the fretted bargeboards to the end and porch gables which give the impression of an overblown cottage orne.

Unknown, Undated, Early Medieval (?) Farm House (Worksheet). SDV358726.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV5440 - Archaeological Field Reconnaissance Survey, Ottery St Mary to Aylesbeare

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