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Summary

Cadhay House appears to have originated as a medieval hall house which was remodelled by John Haydon in the 16th century. The long gallery was probably added by his successor who also completed the 'Court of Sovereign' in 1617. Further additions and alterations were made in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (I) 1289400: CADHAY HOUSE
• Registered Park or Garden (II) 1000689: CADHAY

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SY09NE/3
• Old Listed Building Ref (I): 397194
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SY09NE5

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• MANOR HOUSE (Built, XV - 1401 AD (Between) to 1500 AD (Between))

Full description

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV102166.

Anon/jbaa/18(1862)164-165/proceedings of baa.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV102167.

Anon/jbaa/33(1927)46/proceedings of congress of baa at exeter.

1873, Untitled Source, 444 (Article in Serial). SDV102182.

Rogers, W. H. H., 1900-1901, Haydon of Woodbury and Ottery St. Mary, etc, Devon, 236 (Article in Serial). SDV107235.

Cadhay House is a large structure one mile north-west of Ottery. It is of quadrangular shape with an inner court and typical of the Elizabethan era. The most striking feature is the inner court or 'Court of Kings'. The effigies of Henry VIII and his children are represented standing in enriched niches, one on each face of the quadrangle. The walls are dice-work, checkered courses of squared black flint and white stone. It has been modernised, but the repairs have been carried out in harmony as far as possible.
There is a plate of Cadhay House opposite p.225 and a plate of the 'Court of Kings' facing p.233.

1913, Untitled Source, 90-97 (Article in Serial). SDV102181.

Plans and illustrations

Unknown, 1919, Cadhay House, 37-38 (Article in Serial). SDV102174.

Cadhay is first mentioned in the reign of Edward I. The Present house was built 1545-1587 but it contains traces of an older house.

Unattributed, 1935, Proceedings at the seventy-fourth annual meeting held at Sidmouth from the 24th to the 28th of June, 1935, 17 (Article in Serial). SDV102171.

During the time of Edward I the house belonged to the Cadhay family. 'A fair, new house' was built by John Haydon in 1545-1547. The western part of the house became a farmhouse in the early 19th century. Features of interest included the Tudor fireplaces, a Georgian plaster ceiling, coats of arms in the dining room and the inner courtyard with its statues of Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary and Elizabeth.

Warburton-Cox, A. F., 1942-1946, Enquiry into the origin of family of Coxe alias Coke(s) of the Hundred of Colyton, 176 (Article in Serial). SDV102173.

John Hayden occupied Cadhay House in the 16th century.

Baldwin, M. and Spittle, S. D. T., 1947, Architectural Note, 162-163, Fig. 11-12 (Article in Serial). SDV366057.

The hall roof, although mutilated, is still a fine feature. It is similar to the Law Library in Exeter, so can be dated to the later 15th century. The date fits well with the design of the surviving medieval fireplaces, one in the hall and the other on the first floor at the north end of the east wing. It is suggested, therefore, that the Haydon and Poulett arms on them are later additions.
The medieval house is seen to comprise the great hall and screens passage (the present entrance hall) with a two storey wing to the east of and at right angles to the hall. To the west of the hall was another wing with a kitchen at the south end and of two storeys at the north end.
John Haydon’s new house appears, therefore, to be a remodelling of the existing building. The ‘Court of Sovereigns’ was completed by John Haydon’s successor, Robert in 1617 and it was probably Robert who also added the long gallery. The insertion of the first floor in the hall, sash windows and panelling of the drawing room are dated to the 18th century, following Peere-Williams acquisition of the manor in 1737. Further alterations were made in the 19th century.

Pevsner, N., 1952, The Buildings of England: South Devon, 74 (Monograph). SDV336217.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1953, SY09NE5, Photos (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV102164.

Descriptions from various sources given. The house was built by John Haydon (d.1588), using stone from the dissolbed Collegiate Church of Ottery St Mary. The long gallery south wing was subsequently added and the courtyard created. The north and west fronts were altered after 1737 when sash windows were inserted. The cottages which ran south from the south front have been demolished.
Site visit 10th November 1953. The majority of the house, which is in a good state of repair, appears to be of 16th century date. The refaced west and north fronts contain the only sash windows. The alterations of the 18th century have not affected the Tudor layout of the house.

Coate, M., 1957, Cadhay, 159-163, Figs 11-12 (Article in Serial). SDV102168.

Cadhay was held by the de Cadehay family during the reign of Edward I. History of the ownership given. The present house was built by John Haydon in 1620.

Coate, M., 1958, Presidential Address: The Corporation of the Church of St Mary of Ottery, 20 (Article in Serial). SDV127799.

John Haydon, one of the original governors of the Corporation of the Church, owned Cadhay as a sub-manor of Ottery St Mary, through his wife, Joanna Grenville. Little is known of the original medieval house of the de Cadehays. John Haydon built the Tudor house across the river from the old site, probably re-using stone taken from the college buildings destroyed after the dissolution.

Unattributed, 1963, Proceedings at the 101st annual meeting, 22 (Article in Serial). SDV115766.

Described as 'a splendid quadrangular house of the early Tudor period'. Built by John Haydon. Features include the 'Court of the Sovereigns', a late medieval timbered roof, fine fire places and moulded plasterwork, the latter belonging to a later period.

Department of Environment, 1974, Ottery St Mary UD, 3-4 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV102862.

Delderfield, E., 1978, Unknown (Article in Serial). SDV102169.

John Haydon married Joan de Cadhayes in 1527. Eighteen years later, they built Cadhay manor house (1545). The entrance is on the usual plan, with a screens passage leading through house. The great hall is on left, probably larger than now: it must have soared up to the open-timbered roof, for the floor above was not inserted until 1737. There is a massive fireplace of Beer stone with the arms of Haydon and associated families, and a fine coved ceiling.
The inner courtyard known as the 'Court of Sovereigns'. The surface of the walls are patterned with irregular checkering of sandstone and flint. Four statues of Henry VIII, one on each wall, were added in 1617. The court was built in three stages: the north wing dates from 1420, the east and west wings from 1545, and the south wing 1600.
A wide oak staircase, replacing the original Tudor one, leads to long gallery, running east to west, about 20m long and 2m wide, with alcove half way along.
There are three chimney pieces adorned with small carvings of the head of a grotesque little man with foliage protruding from mouth. He is believed to be a little green man of the woods, stemming from a pagan superstition of fertility. The roof is of oak and chestnut, originally with hammer beams and curved braces, but insertion of the floor necessitated cutting back the woodwork. Bosses were sawn off and uprights chipped to take plaster.

Beart-Abrecht, J., 1989, Caddying at Cadhay?, 30-35 (Article in Serial). SDV102178.

Cadhay is first mentioned in the reign of Edward I. At this time it was a sub manor of Ottery St Mary, held by the de Cadehay family. The main part of the present house was built by John Haydon in c.1550, incorporating the great hall from the earlier house of about 1420. He appears to have reused stone from the College of Priests in Ottery St Mary which was demolished following its dissolution in 1545. Haydon’s great nephew, Robrt, added a fourth, south side with a long gallery to the original three sided house, and created the Court of Sovereigns with chequered stone walls and statues of Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary and Elizabeth. It is inscribed ‘RH 1617’.
The house was sold in 1736 to John Brown who sold it onto William Peere Williams in 1737. Peere Williams inserted a first floor in the great hall and also created the panelled drawing room and replaced a number of mullioned windows with sash windows.
The house was restored in the early 20th century, at which time a row of cottages which had been added on the south side of the house were demolished.
The roof chamber, the upper part of the great hall, is described as the ‘most beautiful’ room in the house.

Thurley, S., 1990, The 16th century kitchens at Hampton Court, 1-28 (Article in Serial). SDV102177.

The arrangement of the kitchen at the west end of the great hall is cited as typical of royal and courtier houses of this period.

Swete, J. (ed. Gray T. + Rowe, M.), 1998, Travels in Georgian Devon. The Illustrated Journals of the Reverend John Swete. Vol. 2, 94 (Monograph). SDV341167.

Swete illustrates Cadhay House which he saw in December 1794. He describes it as 'an edifice of no common note - it conveys to the spectator an idea of former consequence'. Other details: DRO Ref: 564M/F7/5

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

Cadhay House marked.

Historic England, 2024, National Heritage List for England, 1289400 (National Heritage List for England). SDV365835.

Cadhay House. Cl6 on site of earlier mansion. A very fine stone mansion. 2 storey with attics. Slate roof. North front has 2 stepped gables, each with external chimney with offsets. 2 similar chimneys on inner sides flanking 2-storey slightly projecting porch with stepped gable. Pedimented doorhood. Door opening has rusticated surround. Many alterations were made by an owner, Peere Williams who bought the house in 1736. To him are attributed the many Georgian features. East front has 2 flanking 3-storey bays with gables, finials and stone mullion windows. In centre is a 5-sided bay containing the stairs. Garden front has 2 gables with external chimneys, and in centre a 2-storey porch with 3-centred arches each side of the door. In middle of building is an enclosed court, the "Court of the Sovereigns ." Over the doors in each side is a carved figure, Henry VIII and his 3 children, each standing in a very fine ribbed canopy with pilasters. Inside, the hall has been roofed over. The ceiling has never been removed as it is a very fine one, coved with plaster decorated centre. There is a good carved stone fireplace. The beams of the hall can be seen in the room above. The hammer beams have gone but the semi-circular principals are moulded. The Elizabethan gallery remains on the 1st floor at the south side of the house. An article with illustrations of Cadhay House is in Country Life, 18.1.1913.
Date first listed: 28th April 1952

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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