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Summary

Later 16th century merchant's house, altered, and refronted in the early 19th century.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1235947: 74, FORE STREET

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX86SW/91

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• SURGERY (Unknown date)
• BUILDING (Post Medieval to XIX - 1540 AD to 1850 AD)
• TENEMENT (Post Medieval to XIX - 1540 AD to 1850 AD)

Full description

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

A house of great importance, although altered externally; the largest in Totnes, and probably Geoffrey Babb's (died 1604). Paradise House is probably a garden house (fine 16th/17th century colonnade) belonging to it, and the only one of its date known in any English town (as far as I know).

Rea, C. F., 1924, The Bastewalls of Totnes, 204 (Article in Serial). SDV174635.

Hill House, Fore Street, Totnes. The nearest tenement to the East Gate on the south side of Fore Street. Referred to in a document of 1540.

Department of Environment, 1978, Totnes, 41 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV342722.

Number 74 Fore Street. Later 16th century merchant's house, altered, and refronted in the early 19th century. 3 storeys. Double-fronted with 3 window bays. Welsh slate roof. Masonry party walls, east end still retaining moulded corbel of first floor jetty. Timber framed, plastered front with pilasters rising through first and second floors on quoins carrying entablature with pattera decoration to frieze. Jettied first floor with dentil decorated bressumer similar to Number 72. Architraved sash windows with glazing bars; outer bays of first floor with 2 paired windows; ground floor with 4 light splayed bay windows with sashes and glazing bars, and still retaining recessed shutters. Central architraved doorway with raised and fielded panel door. Interior altered.

Google, 2012, Google Streetview (Website). SDV348799.

Currently, occupied by a veterinary surgery.

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

English Heritage, 2012, National Heritage List for England (National Heritage List for England). SDV348729.

Laithwaite no longer believes that this was Geoffrey Babb's house. Babb probably lived at number 70, with which Paradise House was also probably associated.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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