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Summary

Cressen Hayes and Little Cressen Hayes originally built as one house in the early 16th century with lated alterations and additions

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II*) 1242408: CRESSEN HAYES AND LITTLE CRESSEN HAYES

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX77SW/241

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• HOUSE (XV to XVI - 1500 AD to 1550 AD (Between))

Full description

Devon County Council, 1838-1848, Tithe Mosaic, approximately 1838-1848 (Cartographic). SDV349431.

Field no 1828 on Tithe Map. House and garden. Town farm area.

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

Site visited in June 1979. There may be an early mention of this house in records as 'Christian Hayes'. It occurs in church records as 'Crossing Hayes' and has also been referred to as 'Monks House' and 'Priest's House'. It is possible that it was connected with the chapel of St Leonard at Spitchwick. Apparently it was let from a Thomas Lyde to his brother-in-law.

Beeson, M. M. R. + Masterman, M. C. H., 1979, An Archaeological Survey of Enclosed Land in Widecombe-In-The-Moor Parish, Vol IV,937 (Report - Survey). SDV337078.

Ordnance Survey, 2013, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV350786.

English Heritage, 2013, National Heritage List for England, 1242408 (National Heritage List for England). SDV350785.

Cressen Hayes and Little Cressen Hayes originally one house the north end of which has been divided off as a separate cottage. Early 16th century with minor 19th and 20th century additions on the east and west sides; upper (south) end of main range rebuilt in 19th century. Granite rubble; west gable-wall of wing covered with roughcast. Roof covered with real slates, except for the north end of main range which has asbestos slates; south end of main range is hipped. Three large stone chimneystacks on main range: plain stack with slate weatherings on north gable, better quality stack with granite weatherings on north gable. Good quality stack with granite weatherings and tapered top in centre of ridge (heating former hall), and rendered stack, probably of 19th century, on west wall at the south end. West gable of wing has a plain stone stack with slate weatherings, very like that on north stack backing on to passage. Wing on west side, at right-angles to hall and inner room; it appears to be contemporary with the main range, but its outer walls could just be the remnant of an earlier structure. Plan is unusual in having had a long inner room (at south end) now reduced in size to insert an entrance-lobby next to the hall. Lower room (at north end) had a fireplace, but does not appear to have been a kitchen, since it has no oven; even the oven in the hall fireplace looks like a later insertion, and it may be that the house originally had a detached kitchen. The ground-storey room of the wing was clearly a parlour. Two storeys; additions single-storeyed. Main range has a seven-window front to the east. Original doorway, off-centre to right, has a chamfered granite surround with a shallow segmental arch. Hall has a three-light granite window, also original except for the mullions; the lights, which are recessed within a moulded rectangular frame, have hollow-moulded, almost rounded arches, with sunk spandrels. Above it and to right in the second storey are two original single-light windows with hollow-moulded granite surrounds, the larger left-hand window having a very slightly rounded head. The remaining windows at the hall and inner room end (to left) have 19th century wooden casements with glazing-bars, except for a 20th century window at the left end of the ground storey. To right of this is another doorway, probably a 19th century insertion. The lower end (to right) has largely been rebuilt, rather clumsily, following a collapse; the windows have 20th century metal casements. Against its right-hand end is an added stone lean-to, now belonging to the adjoining house. On the west side the through-passage doorway has an original granite surround matching that on the east side. Above it and to right, next to the wing, is a single-light original window with chamfered granite surround and very slightly rounded head. At the extreme left-hand end (to the north) the wall has been built out slightly, probably to insert a staircase. Against the west gable-wall of the wing is a double flight of granite steps, probably added in 19th century; they formerly led to a second-storey doorway, now blocked and converted into a window.
Interiors: The hall has chamfered upper-floor beams with step-stops, the joists having bar-stops. The half-beam at the upper (south) end has substantial remains of painting, probably of 16th century, a design of scrolls and foliage; it was apparently white on black originally, but a light red undercoat now predominates. At the opposite end of the room the fireplace has hollow-moulded granite jambs and lintel; at the back is an oven with a stone-framed opening, probably a later insertion. The upper floor joists over the through-passage have been mutilated to insert a staircase; those that survive match the joists in the hall. In the stone south wall is the former doorway into the hall (now blocked); it has a chamfered and stopped wood lintel. The north wall is also of stone, but only on the ground storey (the upper storey has been remodelled in 20th century. At the east end is a large opening, partly blocked with stone, having a chamfered and stopped wood lintel; beneath it is a pair of cranked wooden door-heads. The lower room to the north of this has chamfered upper-floor beams and joists with step-stops. Some of the joists are clearly re-used, being either plain, or chamfered with diagonal-cut stops. The large gable-fireplace has an apparently re-used chamfered wood lintel. To left of it was formerly a stone staircase, probably a later insertion. The fireplace appears to be an original feature, since it has a step-stopped half-beam against it. The wing has moulded upper-floor beams and joists; these have some irregular features, but are almost certainly in their original position. The beams have two three-quarter-round mouldings with a hollow between them, while the joists have one three-quarter-round and an ogee; both beams and joists have run-out stops. The gable-fireplace has a hollow-moulded granite lintel and left jamb; the right jamb has been replaced by a short projecting wall, probably dating from the time when the room was used as a carpenter's shop. On the left side of the fireplace is an original staircase with winding stone steps. In the opposite (east) wall is a blocked doorway, formerly leading into the hall, with a chamfered wood lintel having step-stops. In the north wall is a blocked window with splayed jambs; flanking it internally are two pieces of moulded stone, possibly re-used, that do not rise the full height of the window. The upper storey has no exposed features except for the feet of the roof-trusses; the original trusses survive complete over the wing but are missing at either end of the main range. They are closely similar jointed crucks, side-pegged and with threaded purlins but no ridge; the wing trusses have lost their collars, but at least one cambered collar remains in the main range. All the trusses are unblackened. The house was clearly of higher status than a farmhouse. It is said to have been built for the priest of St Leonard's Chapel, Spitchwick, but there seems to be no evidence of this or even that the chapel still existed in the early 16th century.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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