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Summary

16th century manor house partly rebuilt and remodelled in the 18th century. Divided up into three dwellings in the mid-20th century and then into six in the 1980s. During renovation works in the late 1940s, remains of Tudor doors and fireplaces were uncovered, as well as a pre-Tudor window which may be part of a early chapel recorded at Stowford in 1400.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1107423: STOWFORD HOUSE

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX65NW18
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 441289
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX65NW/22
• Old Listed Building Ref (II): 99187

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• MANORIAL CHAPEL? (XIV to XV - 1400 AD (Between) to 1450 AD? (Between))
• MANOR HOUSE (Constructed, XV to XVIII - 1500 AD (Between) to 1799 AD (Between))

Full description

Lysons, D. + Lysons, S., 1822, Magna Britannica, 6, part 2, 255-6 (Monograph). SDV323771.

The manor, or nominal manor, of East Harford, alias Stowford, belonged to an early period to Matthew de Ivybridge, and later became the property of Adam Williams whose son, Thomas Williams, was Speaker of the House of Commons in the reign of Queen Elizabeth. The old mansion was rebuilt not many years prior to 1822.

Copeland, G. W., 1952, Twenty-First Annual Report of the Plymouth and District Branch, 327 (Article in Serial). SDV237178.

1578-1650, Stowford House. Given to Mathew de Ivybridge in the reign of Edward I. Bulk of present house dates to the late 18th-early 19th century. In some of the rooms and in the rear court may be seen remains of the late 16th century mansion. Externally the principal early feature is a canopied and pinnacled granite chimney. Series of interesting granite fire-places inside. Interesting remains in the kitchens. Chapel of St. Nicholas licenced at Stowford in 1400 according to documentary evidence.

Seymour, D. J., 1955 - 1958, The Smaller Manor Houses of Medieval Devon, 14 (Article in Serial). SDV6523.

Description of features given.

Department of Environment, 1956, Plympton St Mary RD, 14 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV140824.

Stowford House is a large irregular house of 16th century origin, partly rebuilt and otherwise refashioned in the 18th century. It was originally quadrangular in plan. The older part contains some casements, and one chimney has arched openings and a finial cap.
The interior has exposed ceiling beams, open fireplaces and remains of stone mullioned windows.

Western Morning News, 1958, Stowford House, 13/05/1958 & 15/3/1958 (Article in Serial). SDV149888.

The first mention of Stowford is in the reign of Edward II, and a chapel of Saint Nicholas there is noted in the register of Bishop Stafford circa 1400.
Stripping of the walls has revealed Tudor stonework, windows and doorways, and made is possible to trace the rectangular outline of the Tudor manor-house. Ruined walls in the garden may represent part of the pre-Tudor house, and a pre-Tudor window, possibly part of the chapel, has been discovered in the kitchen wall.
Stowford House; “A window which may be a link with a long-lost chapel, Tudor doors and fire places, and the outlines and walls of an earlier manor house have been discovered at Stowford House near Ivybridge.” The house consists of a square Elizabethan building to the front of which a Georgian block has been added.
In 1946, renovation work discovered an Elizabethan fireplace hidden behind a Victorian wooden mantel. Later, during redecorating, a pre-Tudor window which may be connected with the erstwhile chapel was discovered in the walls of the kitchen.
“It is known that a chapel existed as part of a much earlier dwelling at Stowford, but no trace of it up till now had ever been found”. A chapel of St. Nicholas at Stowford is mentioned in the Register of Edmund Stowford, Bishop of Exeter, around 1400.
The stripping of the walls, etc. has revealed extensive Tudor stonework and it is now possible to trace the square form of the old Tudor manor house. Other Tudor remains uncovered include three windows; two doors in their original positions and four in arbitrary ones, which some half-broken walls in the garden may be part of a pre-Tudor house.
The first mention of Stowford is in Edward II’s reign and if the pre-Tudor window can be proved to be part of the lost chapel, it might well date back to that time.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1958, SX65NW18 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV149887.

Refers to the Second Edition Ordnance Survey historic map and 1958 newspaper article in the Western Morning News.

Ryan, L., 1973, An Obscure Place. A History of Stowford in the parish of Harford, Devon, pages 14, 33-4 (Monograph). SDV340926.

Hankin, C. F., 1977-1980, Harford Parish Checklist, 1977 (Worksheet). SDV149931.

The house looks very much as it is described in 1956 by the Historic Houses Register. In 1976 the 18th century south front was stripped of plaster and some granite blocks replaced with second hand granite blocks. Full description on worksheet.

Hankin, C. F., 1980, An Archaeological Check-List for Harford, 1977 (Un-published). SDV361875.

The house looks very much as it is described in 1956 by the Historic Houses Register. In 1976 the 18th century south front was stripped of plaster and some granite blocks replaced with second hand granite blocks. Full description on worksheet.

Department of Environment, 1984, South Hams, 32 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV336648.

Former manor house divided into three dwellings. 16th century partly rebuilt and remodelled in 18th century. Stone rubble, part rendered and ashlar. Slate roofs.
Plan: H-shaped on plan. The original to west and north has large external chimneystack on north side and inside the courtyard the north and west wings have some hollow-chamfered stone mullion windows with labels. One of the windows and two doorways have roll moulding, one of the doorways with 3-centred arch, the other round-arched with carved keystones. The west side has c18 3-storey, 3-bay rendered front with sash windows complete with glazing bars and keystone over. Over the west wing is a large stone chimneystack with arcaded sides crenellated above and with large stone finial cap. Another moulded stone stack at north gable end.
Remodelled south wing with tall 18th century 3-storey, 3-bay south front, partly built of ashlar and with rendered parapet and architraves to the sash windows which have their glazing bars intact. Wide central glazed porch with pilasters, and entablature. Left hand (west) return is bowed on 3 storeys with 3 sashes to each floor. One bay 2-storey wing at opposite end to east.
Including adjoining doorway to northeast. Probably reset and now forming a gateway to the courtyard. It has a c16 4-centre moulded stone arch.
Interior: west wing contains large granite fireplace with 4-centred arch and roll moulding, blocked stone mullion window, stone moulded or chamfered 4-centred arch doorways. First floor room in west wing has early c18 panelling and c16 moulded chimneypiece. Adjoining room has granite c16 moulded chimneypiece with ogee head. Another moulded granite chimneypiece in next room. Also a west wing on c18 staircase. The south wing has an early c19 staircase.
Birthplace of Thomas Williams (d.1566) Speaker of the House of Commons in 1563, and John Prideaux, Rector of Exeter College, Oxford and Bishop of Worcester (1578-1650).
One chimney with arched opening and final cap.

Burgess, J., 2011, Dartmoor's Grand Houses (Article in Serial). SDV359975.

Details of the owners of the manor of Stowford, from the mid-late 13th century onwards discussed. Burgess refers to recent survey undertaken for the Devon Rural Archive which concludes that what has survived of the late 16th and early 17th century periods is of exceptionally good quality but that Stowford remains a difficult house ton interpret due to the large scale demolitions in the early 19th century. It is not possible to state with certainty which side of the house was originally the front.
The property was bought by Mrs L. Ryan from Boston after 1940 and during the Second World War the house was used for the training of field ambulance units and to billet American soldiers. Ryan owned Stowford until the early 1970s and published ‘An Obscure Place’ in 1973 about the property. In the early 1950s, it was divided into three dwellings and was listed.
Ryan passed ownership of Stowford to the Royal Agricultural Society who employed a series of farm mangers, including Gill Venebles who published ‘Tis as Twas’ about the farm.
In the 1980s the house was further divided into six residential units; Stowford Barton in the mid-late 16th century west part of the house, Stowford Cleave in the early 17th century north wing, Stowford House in the Georgian (mid-18th century) west and south section, Stowford Wing in the mid-19th century element of the south elevation, Stowford Court in the late 19th / early 20th century section facing west into the courtyard and Stowford Close in the separate building to the north-east.

Ordnance Survey, 2017, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV359962.

Stowford House is depicted on the modern mapping.

Historic England, 2017, National Heritage List for England, accessed 09/01/2017 (National Heritage List for England). SDV359963.

SX 65 NW HARFORD IVYBRIDGE ROAD 11/79 23.4.52 Stowford House - II
Former manor house divided into 3 dwellings. C16 partly rebuilt and remodelled in C18. Stone rubble, part rendered and ashlar. Slate roofs.
H-shaped on plan. The original to west and north has large external chimneystack on north side and inside the courtyard the north and west wings have some hollow-chamfered stone mullion windows with labels. One of the windows and 2 doorways have roll moulding, one of the doorways with 3-centred arch, the other round-arched with carved keystones. The west side has C18 3-storey, 3-bay rendered front with sash windows complete with glazing bars and keystone over. Over the west wing is a large stone chimneystack with arcaded sides crenellated above and with large stone finial cap. Another moulded stone stack at north gable end. Remodelled south wing with tall C18 3-storey, 3-bay south front, partly built of ashlar and with rendered parapet and architraves to the sash windows which have their glazing bars intact. Wide central glazed porch with pilasters, and entablature. Left hand (west) return is bowed on 3 storeys with 3 sashes to each floor. One bay 2-storey wing at opposite end to east. Including adjoining doorway to north-east. Probably reset and now forming a gateway to the courtyard. It has a C16 4-centre moulded stone arch.
Interior: west wing contains large granite fireplace with 4-centred arch and roll moulding, blocked stone mullion window, stone moulded or chamfered 4-centred arch doorways. First floor room in west wing has early C18 panelling and C16 moulded chimneypiece. Adjoining room has granite C16 moulded chimneypiece with ogee head. Another moulded granite chimneypiece in next room. Also a west wing on C18 staircase. The south wing has an early C19 staircase. Birthplace of Thomas Williams (d 1566) Speaker of the House of Commons in 1563, and John Prideaux Rector of Exeter College, Oxford and Bishop of Worcester (1578-1650).
Listing NGR: SX6409356993

Waterhouse, R., Unknown, Stowford (Record Office Collection). SDV361111.

Detailed description of the house and changes. Described in six main periods from the mid-late 16th century onwards.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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