See important guidance on the use of this record.

If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.

Summary

A large house, now divided into three. The building dates from about 1700 but possibly represents a remodelling of an earlier building.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II*) 1165075: WELL

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX87NE/34
• Old Listed Building Ref (II*)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• FARMHOUSE (Built, Early Medieval to XVIII - 1066 AD to 1800 AD (Between))

Full description

WILLIAMS, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV22693.

Well farm house appears to be elizabethan. Reference occurs to well in deed of 1333 (williams).

DOE 1952, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV309456.

Well is said to date from the 16th century and to be the ancient dower house for ugbrook. It is a three storey, roughcast building with a sprocketted slate roof. There are four old ashlar granite chimneys of great size (doe 1952).

DOE, 1987, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV309457.

Well. Large house, divided into 3 in the late c20. Circa 1700, but possibly a remodelling of an earlier building, some refurbishment of the late c18, circa mid c19 refenestration. Roughcast stone; slate roof, gabled at ends with sprocketted eaves, rear stair wing. Stacks. A high status 3 storey house consisting of a main range, 3 rooms wide, with left and right rear outshuts under catslide roofs on either side of a large stair wing. The plan form suggests an intriguing development from the traditional earlier 3 room arrangement. Three storeys. Symmetrical 5 bay front, the bays flanking the central front door with windows to the ground floor only, presumably providing more scope for the panelling in the first floor central room. Central roman doric porch. Sash windows. See doe list for full details (doe, 1987).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV309459.

Williams, h. F. /tda/87(1955)85/ideford through the centuries.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV309460.

Doe/hhr:newton abbot(-/6/1952)54.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV309461.

Osa=sx87ne30.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV309462.

Doe/hhr:ideford/(28/4/1987)63-64.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV309463.

Seymour, d. /torre abbey/(1977)269-272.

Unknown, 1999, Well Farm, Olchard, Ideford Devon (Report - Survey). SDV309464.

Well farm extending to 173 acres was originally held at the end of the 13th century along with Olchard and Sedgewell by Torre Abbey. The house was rebuilt about 1700 but a thick internal cob wall confirms the presence of an earlier house on the site. It has been said that Well was the 'ancient Dower House for Ugbrooke'. However, it does not appear to have become part of the Clifford estate until 1813.

Ordnance Survey, 2016, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV359352.

Historic England, 2016, National Heritage List for England (National Heritage List for England). SDV359353.

Well. Large house, divided into 3 in the late C20. Circa 1700, but possibly a remodelling of an earlier building, some refurbishment of the late C18, circa mid C19 refenestration. Roughcast stone; slate roof, gabled at ends with sprocketted eaves, rear stair wing gableted at end stacks with tone shafts, rear lateral stack to main range projecting through the roof at the junction with the outshut, stack to stair wing projecting through roof. A high status 3 storey house consisting of a main range, 3 rooms wide, with left and right rear outshuts under catslide roofs on either side of a large stair wing. The main range has a central entrance into a large heated panelled entrance hall, a principal room to the left (north) and a kitchen to the right (south). The entrance hall is heated from the rear lateral stack, a doorway to the right of the stack opens on to a fine dogleg stair in the rear wing, which has an outshut on the north side, the stair rising to a landing on the second storey. The rear right outshut to the main range provides an access corridor to the kitchen with a doorway in the entrance hall adjacent to the stair doorway. The left hand ground floor room was also panelled, although the panelling is said to no longer exist. 3 first floor panelled rooms form a kind of piano nobile. The plan form suggests an intriguing development from the traditional earlier 3 room arrangement; the kitchen, to the right, corresponding to the lower end; the traditional C17 'hall' recast as a fashionable entrance hall but still heated by a lateral stack and the left hand ground floor room corresponding to the inner room. The building could be a thorough remodelling of a late C16 or early C17 house or a transitional plan type of circa 1700. Although some of the interior joinery is of circa 1700 other details indicate a partial refurbishment of the late C18. In the circa mid C19 the front elevation was refenestrated and a new porch was added. The subdivision of the house into 3 has involved the provision of a new external stair to the rear wing, but little alteration to the principal rooms. 3 storeys. Symmetrical 5-bay front, the bays flanking the central front door with windows to the ground floor only, presumably providing more scope for the panelling in the first floor central room. Central Roman Doric porch with engaged columns and a triglyth frieze, front door with fielded panels. Ground floor windows, 2 on either side of the front door, are tripartite sashes, 12 pane in the centre and 4 pane in the outer lights; paired 12-pane sash above front door. Central second floor window is a pair of 6-pane sashes, flanked by small tripartite sashes, 6-pane to the centre lights, 2 to the outer lights, (some glazing bars missing). The rear elevation has a plank and stud door leading into the kitchen outshut. Interior Remarkable survival of panelling. The central ground floor room is panelled throughout. The door surround is bolection-moulded and circa 1700 but the 2 leaf door to the stairs below a blind round-headed arch with a key block and a blind lunette feature appears to be late C18. The chimney-piece is C20 but otherwise the room is entirely intact. The left-hand room of the front range not inspected at time of survey but is said to have lost its panelling. The wide dog-leg stair has a panelled dado and 3 flights with a moulded handrail and fine splat balusters with a vase-shaped profile. The slightly odd construction of the balustrade on the first flight suggests the possibility that it may have been applied to an earlier staircase. The landing on the second storey is especially handsome with halved balusters at the newel post. First floor rooms right and centre also have intact panelling: the right hand room has a bolection-moulded chimneypiece, the centre room has an Adam style chimneypiece including marble work and delicate orders of moulding. First floor room left not inspected but said also to be panelled. The second floor has been repartitioned. The old list description refers to "a hearth of slates placed edgeways in diamond patterns" in the attic, this feature was not seen at time of survey (1986). The kitchen has a high ceiling with 2 chamfered cross beams; the fireplace has been adapted for a range but is massive in scale. A chamfered stopped doorframe between the kitchen and kitchen outshut is probably mid/late C17 and, if not re-used, indicates the early origins of the building. A fine house with a particularly impressive interior and an extremely interesting plan form. Well was formerly the property of Torre Abbey.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.