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Summary

Country house built 1776-1780 set within a contemporary landscaped park.

Location

Protected Status

• Registered Park or Garden (II) 1000688: BRIDWELL

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: ST01SE/16
• Old Listed Building Ref (I)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• MANSION HOUSE (XVIII to XXI - 1701 AD to 2009 AD)

Full description

Department of Environment, 1959, Tiverton RD (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV54004.

Bridwell house. Three storeys. Plastered walls. Hipped slate roof. Low parapet, cornice and central pediment which breaks forward with venetian windows at first and second floor. Central porch sash windows.

Hughes, A. P., 1968, Short History of Bridwell and the Family of Clarke (Un-published). SDV56947.

Unknown, 1980, Sale Catalogue 3372/MB1 (Record Office Collection). SDV56946.

Beacham, P. + Timms, S., 1981, Bridwell (Site Visit). SDV43532.

Site visit 18th August 1981. The House has now been cleared of furnishings and is under offer. The plaster ceilings require some attention.

Timms, S., 1981, Bridwell House (Worksheet). SDV365848.

Grade II listed country house. Built in 1779 by the Clarke family. The family owned the estate for some 400 years until it was offered for sale in 1980. The estate is now in the process of being broken up. According to the sales brochure, alterations were carried out 1913-14 but otherwise little has changed.

Cornforth, J., 1981, Bridwell, Devon, 710-714 (Article in Serial). SDV56948.

Built 1776-80 by Richard Hall Clarke to the north-east of Old Bridwell. The Clarke family had owned land at Bridwell since early 17th century. The house and its parkland setting are shown on a plan of 1779. The architect of the house and designer of the park are not known. Clarke himself may have been largely responsible. The plain exterior of the house contrasts with interior which contains original late 18th century furnishings and decoration showing considerable sophistication. The ground floor rooms with their plaster ceilings, fireplaces and original paintwork and furniture are described in detail. Some alterations were carried out in the early 20th century but otherwise little has changed. The Clarke family fortunes failed in 1826, after which the estate was broken up. The house though remained in family hands until it was put on the market in 1980. Other details: Photos.
Family papers and a typescript by Hughes are deposited in the Devon Record Office.

Timms, S., 1981, Bridwell, Film 472 (Ground Photograph). SDV56949.

Photos of the exteriors of the house and stable.

Department of Environment, 1986, Halberton, 96-97 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV43576.

Upgraded to Grade I in new list. Country house in landscaped park. Dated 1776-80. Hipped slate roofs. Three storeys. Deep rectangular double-depth plan with central entrance hall, stairwell at the rear, with one probably contemporary wing. See new DoE list for full details.

Mills Whipp Projects Ltd., 2014, Westwood, Land Adjoining Junction 27 on M5: Archaeological Desk Based Assessment (Report - Assessment). SDV360955.

Mills Whipp Projects has been commissioned to prepare a desk based assessment of archaeology for the Westwood site on the eastern side of Junction 27 of the M5.
The second manor house, Bridwell House, lies approximately 1km south-east of the application site. It was first documented in 1280 and in the 15th/16th century was noted as a long house. The surviving buildings include the 18th century house, stables, the park, chapel, farmhouse and garden. Unfortunately the range of barns fronting the road south-west of Old Bridwell lost much of its historic fabric and significant features and is viewed as 'no longer of special interest' although the range of buildings 20 metres west of Old Bridwell is listed as a Grade II Building. The chapel and stables north-east of the park are Grade II* listed. Bridwell Park is designated Grade II. It is a late 18th century landscaped park and woodland with grounds around the house of 13 hectares. Much of the surrounding land has been returned to agriculture.

Watts, S., 2021, Bridwell Park (Ground Photograph). SDV365845.

Exterior view of the front of the house.

Ordnance Survey, 2024, Mastermap 2024 (Cartographic). SDV365834.

Large house on the northern side of a square garden within the park.

Unknown, Pre 1939, Clarke Family Papers (Record Office Collection). SDV56945.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV360955	Report - Assessment: Mills Whipp Projects Ltd.. 2014. Westwood, Land Adjoining Junction 27 on M5: Archaeological Desk Based Assessment. Mills Whipp Projects Ltd.. Digital.
SDV365834	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 2024. Mastermap 2024. Ordnance Survey Digital Mapping. Digital. [Mapped feature: #142146 ]
SDV365845	Ground Photograph: Watts, S.. 2021. Bridwell Park. Photograph (Digital).
	Linked images:4
SDV365848	Worksheet: Timms, S.. 1981. Bridwell House. Worksheet.
SDV43532	Site Visit: Beacham, P. + Timms, S.. 1981. Bridwell. Digital.
SDV43576	List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest: Department of Environment. 1986. Halberton. Historic Houses Register. A4 Spiral Bound. 96-97.
SDV54004	List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest: Department of Environment. 1959. Tiverton RD. Historic Houses Register. Unknown.
SDV56945	Record Office Collection: Unknown. Pre 1939. Clarke Family Papers. Clarke Family Papers. Unknown.
SDV56946	Record Office Collection: Unknown. 1980. Sale Catalogue 3372/MB1. Unknown.
SDV56947	Un-published: Hughes, A. P.. 1968. Short History of Bridwell and the Family of Clarke. Typescript.
SDV56948	Article in Serial: Cornforth, J.. 1981. Bridwell, Devon. Country Life. Photocopy. 710-714.
SDV56949	Ground Photograph: Timms, S.. 1981. Bridwell. Conservation Section Photograph Collection. Photograph (Paper). Film 472.

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7600 - Desk Based Assessment: Westwood, Land adjoining Junction 27 on M5, Mid Devon

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