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Summary

Two storey stucco house in large garden. Late 18th or early 19th century, rebuilt 1832.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1267190: ORCHARD HILL HOUSE

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS42NE/44
• Old Listed Building Ref (II*)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• HOUSE (XVIII to XIX - 1751 AD to 1832 AD (Between))

Full description

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, SS42NE27 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV336629.

Department of Environment, 1973, Northam, 44 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV17982.

Orchard Hill House. A two storey stuccoed house of late 18th or early 19th century date, standing in a large garden. The stables are of two storeys around a courtyard.

Timms, S. C., 1977-1981, Bideford Development Control Consultations (Un-published). SDV346164.

Timms, S. C., 1978 - 1984, Northam Development Control Consultations, 23/9; Photos 239/35a-37a (Un-published). SDV346529.

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

Late 18th- or early 19th century. Rebuilt 1832, two storey stucco house in large garden. three first floor sash windows with glazing bars. Wood cornice. Parapet. Tuscan porch with fluted columns. Tall sash windows to ground floor.
Interior: six-panel doors, panelled shutters, oval lantern. Two storey former stables around courtyard.

Historic England, 2017, National Heritage List for England, 1267190 (National Heritage List for England). SDV359963.

Orchard Hill House.
Summary of Building

A late-C18 or early-C19 suburban house. Mid-to late C19 extension to the north. Mid-to late-C19 outbuildings, gate piers, and gates. Not included in the listing is the late-C20 conservatory to the west elevation.
Reasons for Designation
Orchard Hill House, a late-C18/early-C19 house with mid-to late-C19 additions is designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
Architectural interest:
* As a pre-1840 suburban house that is well-composed and displays architectural features that are characteristic of the domestic architecture of the period; * Interior: for the survival of many of its fixtures and fittings from its late-C18/early-C19 phase including its doorcases with corner blocks, and staircase.
Group value: * Forms a pleasing ensemble with the mid-to late-C19 outbuildings, gate piers and gates to the north of the house.
History
Orchard Hill House is thought to have been built in the late C18 or early C19, and the house appears to be marked on the 1809 Ordnance Survey (OS) map. It is shown on the Northam tithe map (1839) as having an L-shaped footprint, and its gardens are described in the tithe apportionment as ‘plantation’. This footprint is altered on the first edition (1889) OS map, and this and the fabric of the building suggests that the principal house was extended to the north in the mid-C19 with the stem of the earlier L-plan forming a link to the added outbuildings to the north of the house. The 1889 map also shows a conservatory and an additional range to the west elevation of the house. The range was demolished in the mid-to-late C20, and the conservatory was replaced in the late C20. The house appears to have undergone some internal refurbishment in the mid-to-late C19.
From the 1980s onwards housing development has encroached on the garden to the west and the south.
Details
A late-C18 or early-C19 suburban house. Mid-to late C19 extension to the north. Mid-to late C19 outbuildings, gate piers, and gates. Not included in the listing is the late C20 conservatory to the west elevation.
MATERIALS: constructed of stone and covered in stucco. Timber sash, and some casement windows. Slate tiles to the roofs. The roofs of the lean-to structures on the north elevation are covered in corrugated iron. Stone chimney stacks.
PLAN: roughly square on plan, with rooms arranged around a central stairwell. Rectangular, two-storey outbuilding range to the north, linked to the house by a single-storey building.
EXTERIOR: a two-storey house with a raised parapet, and wooden cornice. The roof structure behind the parapet comprises two distinct hipped roof structures aligned on a west to east axis. That to the south has two ridge stacks; that to the north has a lateral stack. The principal (east) elevation is arranged as three, almost symmetrical, bays of three, eight-over-eight hornless sash windows to the first floor, and an off-centre, panelled doorway with an early-C19 door with margin glazing. It has a wooden canopy supported on fluted Tuscan pilasters and columns, flanked by six-light windows. A mid-to-late-C19 square bay window, with horned sashes, has been inserted to the right, and to the left is a late-C18/early-C19 hornless sash window of eight-over-sixteen lights, that extends to the floor. The south elevation also has two tall sash windows to its outer bays; the central window has been blocked, and to the first floor are three late-C18/early-C19 sash windows. The north elevation has two single-storey lean-tos either side of a ground-floor recessed entrance.
INTERIOR: a wide archway separates the hall from the stairwell with circular roof light. The open-string staircase has a curtail step and turned balusters. At the rear of the stairwell is an archway to a narrow passageway (repeated to the first floor), with the kitchen beyond. The two reception rooms to the south side of the house have been enlarged and the walls retain the scar of the partition walls that created a third room between them; the window has been blocked. The doors in the new partition wall back immediately onto each other. The rear reception room retains its early-C19 French doors. The ground floor has early-C19 panelled door cases, moulded architrave with floral motifs to the corner blocks, six-panelled doors, plaster cornices, panelled window shutters, and some of its C19 fireplaces; grates removed. The picture rails and dado rails are late C19. To the first floor are early-C19 six-panel doors and mid-to late-C19 four panel doors; there are no fireplaces or cornices.
OUTBUILDINGS: at the east end of a cobbled courtyard is a single-storey building with a pitched roof. There is a single door to the east elevation. To the west elevation is an inserted RSJ and mid-C20 sliding timber doors. The floor is both tiled and cobbled and the partition walls have been removed and a ceiling inserted. The mid-C19 two-storey outbuilding range runs on a west to east axis with an arched central passageway leading from the courtyard to the street, Orchard Hill. To the west end is the door to the former stable, with door to the hayloft above, and a sixteen-light window to the left. The interior has a cobbled and concrete floor. To the east end is an eight-over-eight sash window and a plank door to the possible former bake house which retains its bread oven, stack removed at roof level, and copper. There is an inserted C20 staircase to the first floor. The room to the east end has been opened up to its south elevation, and there is evidence of a former doorway to its east wall. The principal roof trusses of the outbuilding are mid-C19 with C20 common rafters and ridge piece, and a C20 roof light. At the east end of the courtyard, linking the outbuilding with the house, is a coped stone wall and gate piers with iron gates. To the north section of the wall is a pedestrian doorway.
Date first listed: 19th February 1973
Date of most recent amendment: 7th September 2017

Historic England, 2017, Orchard Hill House, Orchard Hill, Northam, Devon (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV360192.

Notification that Historic England has been asked to consider Orchard Hill House in Devon for downgrading or removal from the List.
History
Orchard Hill House, a detached, private residence in Northam, to the north of Bideford in
Devon, is thought to have been built in the late C18 or early C19, and the house appears to be
marked on the 1809 Ordnance Survey map. The List entry describes the building as being
rebuilt in 1832, but no specific evidence has been found to support this claim. It is shown on
the Northam tithe map (1839) as having an L-shaped footprint, and its gardens are described
in the tithe apportionment as ‘plantation’. This footprint is altered on the first edition (1889) OS
map, and this and the fabric of the building suggests that the principal house was extended to
the north in the mid-C19 with the stem of the earlier L-plan forming a link to the added
outbuildings to the north of the house. The 1889 map also shows a conservatory and an
additional range to the west elevation of the house. The range was demolished in the mid-to
late C20, and the conservatory was replaced in the late C20. It is unclear if the canted bay to
the principal elevation was added when the house was extended, or is a slightly later
alteration. The house appears to have undergone some internal refurbishment in the mid-to
late C19.
Orchard Hill House was added to the List in 1973 at Grade II*. From the 1980s onwards
housing development has encroached on the garden to the west and the south-west.
Details
A late C18 or early C19 house. The house was extended in the mid-C19, and the range of
outbuildings to the north added. Late-C19 and C20 additions and alterations.
MATERIALS: constructed of stone and covered in stucco. Timber sash, and some casement,
windows. Slate tiles to the roofs. The roofs of the lean-to structures on the north elevation are
covered in corrugated iron. Stone chimney stacks.
PLAN: roughly square on plan, with rooms arranged around a central stairwell. Rectangular,
two-storey outbuilding range to the north, linked to the house by a single-storey building.
.
EXTERIOR: a two-storey house with a raised parapet, and wooden cornice. The roof structure
behind the parapet comprises two distinct hipped roof structures aligned on a west to east
axis. That to the south has two ridge stacks; that to the north has a lateral stack. The principal
(east) elevation is arrange as three, almost symmetrical, bays of three, eight-over-eight
hornless sash windows to the first floor, and an off-centre, panelled doorway with an early-C19
door with margin glazing. It has a wooden canopy supported on fluted Tuscan pilasters and
columns, flanked by six-light windows. A mid- to late-C19 square bay window, with plate
glass, horned sash windows, has been inserted to the right, and to the left is a late C18/early
C19 hornless sash window of eight-over-sixteen lights, that extends to the floor. The south
elevation also has two tall sash windows to its outer bays; the central window has been
blocked, and to the first floor are three late C18/early C19 sash windows. The west elevation
has a single-storey, late–C20, flat-roof addition replacing a mid-C19 conservatory. The north
elevation has two single-storey lean-tos either side of a ground-floor recessed entrance.
INTERIOR: a wide archway separates the hall from the stairwell with circular roof light. The
open-string staircase has a curtail step and turned balusters. At the rear of the stairwell is an
archway to a narrow passageway (repeated to the first floor), with the kitchen beyond. The two
reception rooms to the south side of the house have been enlarged and the walls retain the
scar of the partition walls that created a third room between them; the window has been
blocked. The doors in the new partition wall back immediately onto each other. The rear
reception room retains its early C19 French doors. The ground floor has early C19 panelled
door cases, moulded architrave with floral motifs to the corner blocks, six-panelled doors,
plaster cornices, panelled window shutters, and some of its C19 fireplaces; grates removed.
The picture rails and dado rails are late C19. To the first floor are early C19 six-panel doors
and mid-to late C19 four panel doors; there are no fireplaces or cornices.
OUTBUILDINGS: at the east end of a cobbled courtyard is a single-storey building with a
pitched roof. There is a single door to the east elevation. To the west elevation is an inserted
RSJ and mid-C20 sliding timber doors. The floor is both tiled and cobbled and the partition
walls have been removed and a ceiling inserted. The mid-C19 two-storey outbuilding range
runs on a west to east axis with an arched central passageway leading from the courtyard to
the street, Orchard Hill. To the west end is the door to the former stable, with door to the
hayloft above, and a sixteen-light window to the left. The interior has a cobbled and concrete
floor. To the east end is an eight-over-eight sash window and a plank door to the possible
former bake house which retains its bread oven, stack removed at roof level, and copper.
There is an inserted C20 staircase to the first floor. The room to the east end has been
opened up to its south elevation, and there is evidence of a former doorway to its east wall.
The principal roof trusses of the outbuilding are mid-C19 with C20 common rafters and ridge
piece, and a C20 roof light. At the east end of the courtyard, linking the outbuilding with the
house is a coped stone wall and gate piers with iron gates. To the north section of the wall is a
pedestrian doorway.

Historic England, 2017, Orchard Hill House, Orchard Hill, Northam, Devon (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV360357.

Notification of amendment of the entry for Orchard Hill House on the List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest. The building is now listed at Grade II.
The house was recommended for downgrading to Grade II for the following principal reasons:
Architectural interest:
* It is not an early or influential example of developments in domestic architecture;
* It is not exceptionally intact, nor does it have an outstanding decorative scheme.
Historic interest:
* It is not associated with a historic figure or event of note.
Group value:
* Its relationship with its landscaped gardens has been diminished by encroaching housing development from the 1980s onwards.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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