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Summary

Late medieval house with late 16th/early 17th century remodelling and substantial alterations of the circa 1940s. Stone rubble, the first floor rendered ; 1940s red tiled roof with sprocketted eaves, gabled at ends. A high quality 3 room and through passage plan house, heavily altered in the circa 1940s in a loosely Vernacular Revival style when the house was re-roofed over the old roof, refenestrated and 4 gabled wings were added at the rear ; one of the wings may be a remodelled stair wing. The house originated as an open hall plan, entrance to right of centre. Interior has remarkable high quality carpentry and joinery, including a end plank and muntin screen and an exceptional domestic bench end, possibly re-sited, incorporating a carved owl finial. Documentary source from 1850 records that this property was donated for charitable purposes.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1163875: SMITH HAY

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX88NW/166
• Old Listed Building Ref (II)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CROSS PASSAGE HOUSE (Built, Late Medieval - 1401 AD to 1539 AD (Between))

Full description

Department of Environment, 1988, Christow, 75 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV308409.

Smith Hay. Late medieval with late 16th/early 17th century remodelling and substantial alterations of the circa 1940s. Stone rubble, the first floor rendered; 1940s red tiled roof with sprocketted eaves, gabled at ends; 20th century stone rubble projecting stack at left end, axial stack with granite shaft, 20th century rear right lateral stack.
Plan: A high quality 3 room and through passage plan house, heavily altered in the circa 1940s in a loosely vernacular revival style when the house was re-roofed over the old roof, refenestrated and 4 gabled wings were added at the rear; one of the wings may be a remodelled stair wing.
Exterior: Two storeys. Asymmetrical 6 window front with 4 gables to the front; fine 16th century arched oak doorframe with repaired jambs to right of centre to the cross passage, 20th century door at extreme right. 20th century fenestration of 1-, 2-, 3-, and 4 light windows.
Interior: The granite ashlar back of the hall/passage partition made up of a repaired section of plank and muntin screen with a shouldered doorway. The lower end screen is almost entirely 20th century. The inner room has an open fireplace with a timber lintel and two bread ovens; stone stair adjacent to stack. Re-sited oak mullioned window with chamfered stopped mullions and some 17th century stained glass in rear wing.
Roof: roof structural features. See List for full details.

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

House is depicted on the modern mapping.

Historic England, 2017, National Heritage List for England, 1163875 (National Heritage List for England). SDV359963.

CHRISTOW DRY LANE, Christow SX 88 NW 2/100 Smith Hay GV II House.
Late medieval with late C16/early C17 remodelling and substantial alterations of the circa 1940s. Stone rubble, the first floor rendered ; 1940s red tiled roof with sprocketted eaves, gabled at ends ; C20 stone rubble projecting stack at left end, axial stack with granite shaft, C20 rear right lateral stack.
Plan: A high quality 3 room and through passage plan house, heavily altered in the circa 1940s in a loosely Vernacular Revival style when the house was re-roofed over the old roof, refenestrated and 4 gabled wings were added at the rear ; one of the wings may be a remodelled stair wing. The floor of the house was dug out at the same time involving adjustment to the ground floor partitions. The house originated as an open hall plan, entrance to right of centre. The roof timbers are painted black which makes it difficult to follow the late C16/early C17 remodelling sequence, but the inner room was floored before the hall and the chamber over the inner room jetties into the hall. The hall, with the stack backing on to the passage, has exceptionally rich carpentry and joinery detail and probably had a newel stair adjacent to the stack before this was replaced by a stair external to the rear wall. The inner room, which may have functioned as a kitchen in the C17, is large, and has probably been extended in the C17, stone newel stair adjacent to stack. The smaller, lower end room is largely modernized. The 1940s alterations expanded the house to the rear with 4 irregular gabled wings and considerable joinery and carpentry repair was carried out at the same period.
Exterior: 2 storeys. Asymmetrical 6 window front with 4 gables to the front; fine C16 arched oak doorframe with repaired jambs to right of centre to the cross passage, C20 door at extreme right. C20 fenestration of 1-, 2-, 3- and 4-light windows.
Interior: Remarkable high quality carpentry and joinery. The granite ashlar back of the hall stack, with plinth and cornice, is exposed in the passage, the remainder of the hall/passage partition made up of a repaired section of plank and muntin screen with a shouldered doorway. The lower end screen is almost entirely C20 exposed joists in the passage, those to the rear projecting through the plank and muntin screen and into the hall. Richly-carpentered hall with an open fireplace with a chamfered timber lintel and granite jambs. Higher end plank and muntin screen, the muntin chamfers stopped off at hall bench level with a shouldered doorframe to the inner room. An exceptional domestic bench end, possibly re-sited, incorporates a carved owl finial. Deep higher end jetty with chamfered joists ; the hall ceiling has 2 moulded cross beams with runout stops and exposed moulded stopped joists, some apparently re-sited. Elaborate system of joists immedately in front of the fireplace lintel where a trimmer beam divides 2 sets of chamfered and moulded joists. Beam between rear wall and fireplace jamb chamfered towards the passage, moulded to the hall. C17 2 plank door in rear wall leading to stair. The inner room has a chamfered, stopped crossbeam ; exposed joists and an open fireplace with a timber lintel and 2 bread ovens; stone stair adjacent to stack. The lower end room has 1940s carpentry and joinery including a timber chimneypiece with carved saints. Re- sited oak mullioned window with chamfered stopped mullions and some C17 stained glass in rear wing.
Roof: Side-pegged jointed cruck construction with a hip cruck at the right end and a closed partition above the hall/inner room jetty. Black paint has obscured the evidence of smoke-blackening and there has been considerable repair and replacement of the subsidiary timbers. White's Devon (1850) records that "John Stooke, in 1691, left Smyth's Hay farm for charitable uses, etc., in this and other parishes. It comprises 26A., and is let for about £26 per annum. Out of this yearly income, the vicar of Christow receives about £11, and the poor have five 4d. loaves weekly. Of the remainder £5 belongs to the poor of Ashton, and £5 to the rector of Trusham." p.188. Exceptional internal carpentry and joinery.
Listing NGR: SX8306385207

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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