See important guidance on the use of this record.

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

Summary

Formerly a farmhouse, this property has served as a guest house, since at least the 1970s. Originally 17th century or earlier. Probably a three-room-and-cross-passage plan with hall stack backing on to passage. Roof was once thatched, but destroyed by fire in 1930s.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1242531: LOWER AISH GUEST HOUSE

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX77SW/208

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• FARMHOUSE (Built, XVI to XVII - 1600 AD to 1699 AD (Between))
• GUEST HOUSE (Altered, XX - 1970 AD? to 1979 AD (Between))

Full description

South West Heritage Trust, 1838-1848, Digitised Tithe Maps and Transcribed Apportionments (Cartographic). SDV359954.

House at 'Higher Ash' is depicted on the Tithe Map; plot no 2025 on the apportionment: 'House and Court', owned by Lord Cranston, occupied by Walter Cleave.

Ordnance Survey, 1880-1899, First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map (Cartographic). SDV336179.

By the later 19th century historic map depiction, this site is labelled as 'Lower Aish', rather than the previous 'Higher Ash'.

Beeson, M. M. R. + Masterman, M. C. H., 1979, An Archaeological Survey of Enclosed Land in Widecombe-In-The-Moor Parish, Vol I, 13 (Report - Survey). SDV337078.

(27/6/1979) Modern name Lower Ash. Now a guest house and the outbuildings are used as things such as a ladies lavatory. The porch is round-arched with two pieces of granite bearing on the left spandrel the initials T. H. and on the right the date 1853. The roof was once thatched as shown by the droppers extant on the right hand chimney. It is now slate. Inside there is a granite spiral staircase, heavily painted and at its bottom a candle cupboard in the wall. A kitchen has been built on behind the stairway as at Lower Upcott. According to the owner the thatch caught fire in 1930, and during rebuilding the ceilings of the bedrooms were raised. Lower Ash now owns only fourteen acres, most of which is taken up by a camping site.

English Heritage, 2013, National Heritage List for England (National Heritage List for England). SDV350785.

WIDECOMBE-IN- POUNDSGATE SX 77 SW THE-MOOR 6/255 Lower Aish Guest House-GV II
Guest house, formerly a farmhouse. C17 or earlier. Roughcast solid walls, probably of stone. Slated roof. Large granite chimneystack on each gable; slightly larger rendered stack on ridge, off-centre to right. Probably a 3-room and cross-passage plan with hall stack backing on to passage. 2 storeys. 4-windows wide front. All windows have 6-paned sashes with horns. Single-storeyed entrance-porch with solid walls and slated pent roof. Round-arched granite doorway, moulded and with carved spandrels, one containing the date 16-- (possibly 1653). The ground-storey front wall to left of porch has a slight pent-roofed projection. Interior not inspected. R Dymond, ed., Widecombe, 1876, p.2, says the porch bears date 1656 and initials TH. House "has remained in the Hamlyn family for at least two centuries". "In this farm house is preserved a large fragment of oak panelling, with the familiar linen pattern". The building was badly damaged by fire in about the 1930s (information from Mrs F Wilkinson).
Listing NGR: SX7058472091

Ordnance Survey, 2018, MasterMap 2018 (Cartographic). SDV360652.

Lower Aish is shown on the modern mapping.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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