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Summary

A late 16th century or early 17th century merchant's house. Also known previously as Somerset House, Paynes House and Birdwood House.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1236352: BIRDWOOD HOUSE

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX86SW/90
• Old Listed Building Ref (II)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• SHOP (Unknown date)
• HOUSE (XVI to XVII - 1550 AD to 1650 AD (Between))

Full description

Laithwaite, M., 11/04/1968, Letter by M. Laithwaite (Correspondence). SDV141187.

Visit in around 1968 (M. Laithwaite). Number 44 High Street (Birdwood House). A splendid double courtyard house, where interest in enhanced because it is all visible from the car park. The two rear blocks, one with patterned timber-framing, the other with slate-hanging, are just as important as the front part.

Rea, C. F., 1924, The Bastewalls of Totnes, 205 (Article in Serial). SDV174635.

In 1719, Bridwood’s House, now the Commercial Hotel, is bounded by ‘the Bastwalls on the south’, and Number 46 Fore Street is on the north of the ‘the Bastwalls or Backway leading to the Bowling marsh’.

Department of Environment, 1978, Totnes, 71 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV342722.

Dated 11/04/1968. Late 16th century or early 17th century merchant's house of "deux corps de batiments" type, still retaining the little and great courts at the rear. Refronted late 18th century. The building was formerly known as Somerset House, later as Paynes House. Formerly the residence of the Babbage family and also of William Payne, innkeeper, and mayor in 1707 and 1728 Dr Roger Birdwood, mayor in 1781, 1789 and 1795 also lived here. 3 storeys and central dormer. Symmetrical front with 3 windows. Hipped Welsh slate roof with rendered stacks and projecting eaves with coved cornice. Plastered front still retaining moulded granite corbel of former first floor jetty. Flat headed casement dormer with glazing bars. Architraved sash windows with glazing bars. Ground floor 3 bay loggia over pavement carried by granite Tuscan columns bearing entablature. Central doorway with rectangular fanlight and raised and fielded panel door. Interior with late 18th century open well staircase to upper floors with carved brackets, turned balusters, octagonal column newels and moulded, ramped handrails. Interior remodelled earlier 19th century. At the rear is a 16th century detached kitchen block connected to the house by a passage on site of a former gallery.

Former kitchen block 2 storeys. 1 window. Bitumenised Welsh slate roof. Devonian, random limestone rubble gable wall. Close-studded timber-framed front with chamfered studs and bressumers. Plaster panels. First floor with 4 light, mullioned window with ogee mouldings and 19th century fenestration. Ground floor with remains of similar 3 light window. At rear of kitchen and connected by passage 3 storey warehouse. Welsh slate roof. Devonian limestone rubble gable wall. Slate-hung timber framed front with modern openings (M. Laithwaite cited by Department of Environment).

Ordnance Survey, 2012, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV348725.

Google, 2013, Google Streetview (Website). SDV350787.

The building is currently used as a shop.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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