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Summary

65 High Street comprises two separate buildings. That fronting the High Street dates to the 17th century but has a most unusual high arched shop front dating to the early 20th century. The other building which was originally detached to the rear with an open courtyard dates to the 18th century. These buildings represent well the tradition of historic building in the centre of Barnstaple with a late street frontage hiding an early front block with infilling behind in the 18th century with the erection of a separate house.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1385160: 65, HIGH STREET

Other References/Statuses

• North Devon District Council Rescue Archaeology Unit Site Code: ND28
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS53SE/368
• Old Listed Building Ref (II): 485622

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• HOUSE (XVII - 1601 AD to 1700 AD (Between))

Full description

Youngs, S. M. + Clark, J. + Barry, T., 1986, Medieval Britain and Ireland in 1985, 110-191 (Article in Serial). SDV24583.

Excavations at 65-68 High street in Barnstaple revealed stone structures provisionally dated to the 14th - 15th century.

North Devon District Council Rescue Archaeology Unit, 1986, The Prudential Site, 65-68 High Street, Barnstaple: Interim Report (Report - Excavation). SDV342224.

North Devon District Council Rescue Archaeology Unit, 1986, The Prudential Site, 65-68 High Street, Barnstaple: Preliminary Reports - Threatened Building Survey, 1-3 (Report - Survey). SDV342223.

65 High Street in Barnstaple with a late 19th or early 20th century arched street frontage. Building revealed during full excavation that it was a multi-phase site with medieval to post medieval occupation. Building survey of 17th to 18th century structures joined together by a courtyard wall and glazed over in the 20th century.

Egan, G., 1987, Post-Medieval Britain in 1986, 274 (Article in Serial). SDV75188.

65-68 High Street in Barnstaple. Building survey in 1986 found that beneath the 19th-century facades a series of earlier buildings was revealed. Number 65 had a detached 18th-century back block to the rear of a 17th-century house two rooms deep. A series of fireplaces of a type unusual in this part of Devon survives. One on the ground floor has plaster imitating coursed brick, overlying genuine brickwork. Two further fireplaces are of painted plaster. Investigation of this building enabled it to be saved from demolition and refurbishment is under way, including the conservation by the unit of one of the fireplace lintels which has 18th-century naturalistic paper cut-out decoration.

North Devon District Council Rescue Archaeology Unit, 1990, Archaeology in Barnstaple: 1984-90, 25 (Report - non-specific). SDV342524.

65 High Street was recorded prior to refurbishment as a shop. It consisted of two separate blocks. One part of the building fronted the High Street whilst the other part was detached to the rear with an open courtyard between. The front block dated to the 17th century with the rear block of the 18th century. A series if fine 17th century fireplaces were uncovered with one back-filled with 18th century English Delft tiles and another using red brick-dust plaster imitating coursed brick which was unique in North Devon. Delicate papercuts were salvaged from one fireplace lintel.

Lovatt, A. M., 1990, Excavations within a Medieval Town: North West Barnstaple 1985-1988, 24-5 (Report - Excavation). SDV64370.

A series of postholes and a short length of gully were excavated to the rear of 65 High Street. A post medieval pit of 2 metres diameter and over 1.5 metres deep was also excavated. It was interpreted as a former clay quarry with a later fill containing well preserved leather, wood, fish and small mammal bones.

North Devon District Council Rescue Archaeology Unit, 1991, North Devon Archaeological Site Code Index, Site Code ND28 (Report - non-specific). SDV63429.

65-67 High Street. Full excavation in 1986 together with building surveys of 17th and 18th century structures. Multiphase site with evidence for medieval and post medieval occupation.

Southwest Archaeology, 2013, Greater Barnstaple Area Project Database, Mapping Area 139, BHBS 1273 (Un-published). SDV351581.

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

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

65 High Street. House and shop. Late C17 with altered front of late C19 or early C20; front block is probably older. Walls, where the material is exposed in the front and left side wall of the back block, and in the rear part of the left side wall of the front block, are of plastered red brick (probably Flemish bond) on a high stone rubble plinth. Rear wall of front block has been rebuilt in late C20 brick. Front (to street) is stuccoed. Roofs are slated, with each block hipped at the front; rear part of roof of front block has been demolished and replaced by a C20 flat roof. C18 or early C19 red brick chimney, with projecting courses forming a cap, on left side wall of front block. Back block has similar chimney at front end of left side wall. Plan consists of front and back blocks, each one room wide, separated by a courtyard; front block is 2 rooms deep with central staircase, back block one room deep with rear staircase. The blocks were never connected by a first-floor gallery, as occurs elsewhere. Ground storey has been gutted and now consists of one deep room extending as far as the rear staircase, the courtyard having been glazed over. 3 storeys with garret in front block; 2 storeys with garret in back block. Front is 1-window wide. Ground and 2nd storeys have a tall round-arched opening with moulded architrave and keyblock; the shop windows within the opening have been reconstructed since about 1927. Above the arch is an unsupported entablature with enriched cornice and guttae. Third storey has a single casement window with moulded architrave; ornate cast-iron balcony in front. Bracketed eaves cornice and parapet complete the facade. Earlier brickwork at rear has raised band at first-floor level. Back block has 2 box-framed, 6-pane sashes in front wall of upper storey, and another in each of the side walls; left side wall has in addition an original mullioned-and-transomed wood casement window with transom set high up. INTERIOR: rear ground-floor fireplace of front block has plain wood lintel and lining of compacted red brick dust with incised lines to imitate brick courses. Upper floors have geometrical wood staircase with thin square-section balusters. First floor has a good C19 cast-iron grate in rear room and 2-panelled doors with applied bolection mouldings. Second floor has fireplaces with early C18 moulded wood surrounds and C19 cast-iron grates; behind the surround, front room fireplace has ovolo-moulded wood lintel with run-out stops, the interior and outer faces of the opening covered with white and yellow plaster, the yellow bearing faint traces of a pattern. Rear wall of room contains truss from earlier, and lower, roof. Remains of moulded butt purlins and ridge; trenched collars held by nail and peg at each end, the main section between the principals cut away. Hip rafters, which appear to be original, are nailed. Trusses have notched apexes; gouged carpenter's marks. In roof space there are visible a stone chimney breast on right hand side and a brick one on left-hand side. Back block has a large fireplace in left side of ground storey with plain brick jambs and plain wood lintel; brick chimney breast in approximate English bond. Remains of a panelled room to rear of fireplace with bolection-moulded panelling in 2 heights surviving on left and rear walls; box-cornice. An early C18 cupboard with round-arched double doors has been inserted on left side. Evidence of former passage on right-hand side of room. At rear a tight, early or mid C19 wooden geometrical stair with shaped step-ends and thin square-section balusters. C18 or early C19 roof-structure with principal rafters crossing at apex to hold the ridge; lightly trenched purlins, no collar. This is one of the 2 best of the Barnstaple houses with detached back blocks, themselves a rare English urban plan type. The roof of the front block is of considerable local interest.

Department of Environment, 29/09/1988, Barnstaple Re-Survey (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV59491.

Beacham, P., Dec 1983, Barnstaple Local Public Inquiry. Historic Buildings in Barnstaple Town Centre Included in Redevelopment Proposals. Addendum to Proof Evidence, 6 (Report - non-specific). SDV354497.

Beacham, P., Nov 1983, Barnstaple Local Public Inquiry. Historic Buildings in Barnstaple Town Centre included in Redevelopment Proposals. Proof Evidence, 2.12 (Report - non-specific). SDV354431.

A building of exception architectural and historic interest. The present street front appears to date from the early 20th century, a photo of circa 1900 shows plain rendered elevations similar to the adjoining properties. It is unusual, comprising a large arch taking up the whole of the ground floor and rising through the second floor. Above this there is an elaborate moulded cornice and above this again a window with decorative ironwork. This alteration was undertaken to a much earlier building and at second floor level and above the original building survives intact including a late 17th century roof structure.
At least as important as the survival of this 17th century structure is the presence of a separate building of early to mid 18th century date to the rear. This is an impressive brick building and the original windows survive at first floor level. The ground floor retains 18th century panelling and the first floor rooms retain cornice mouldings of the period. Later extensions to the rear of this building in the late 19th and early 20th century include a lot of Edwardian coloured glass.
These buildings represent well the tradition of historic building in the centre of Barnstaple with a late street frontage hiding an early front block with infilling behind in the 18th century with the erection of a separate house. The 17th century front block and the 18th century house to the rear are of considerable historic interest and they should be conserved and retained.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds

• FDV1350 - SHOE (XVI to XVIII - 1540 AD to 1749 AD)

Associated Events

• EDV4501 - Excavation to the rear of 65-67 High Street, Barnstaple

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