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Summary

Former medieval manor house with a fine hammer-beam roof. The property was altered and remodelled in the 18th and 19th centuries, and converted into flats 1982.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (I) 1170935: ORLEIGH COURT

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS42SW/6
• Old Listed Building Ref (I): 91389
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SS42SW2

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• MANOR HOUSE (Built, XIV to Late 20th Century - 1301 AD (Between) to 1982 AD)

Full description

Risdon, T., 1811 reprint, Choreographical Description or Survey of the County of Devon, 415 (Monograph). SDV20653.

The house is of great antiquity, owned in the reign of Henry II by Gellanus Dacus. It is of considerable size, set on a gentle eminence, in the midst of a spacious lawn. It is surrounded by woodland.

Rogers, T., 1870, Orleigh Court (Plan - measured). SDV7716.

Rogers, W. H. H., 1926, Orleigh: An Ancient House, 187-192 (Article in Serial). SDV7705.

Details of ownership given. The house was remodelled by the Davie family in the 18th century; there is a coat of arms with the date 1721 at the west end of the hall. Probably the only part remaining of the older house is the entrance hall with its oak-timbered roof, the massive studded door and the porch and chamber over it.
The hall was originally panelled with oak but this was removed as it was in a ruinous condition. The panelling now at the east end was found by the writer in a loft over the stables, cleaned and reinstated. It is thought to have come from the old dining room.
The beechwood balustrade of the main staircase is 18th century. The oak staircase at the west end of the hall is older.
There were once farm buildings to the rear of the house but these have now been removed and a garden created in their place.
The site is geologically interesting as there is a large flint bed here.

Reichel, O. J., 1928 - 1938, The Hundred of Shebbear in Early Times, 538, 579,-581 (Article in Monograph). SDV7713.

Orleigh, or Leghe, was one of the estates given to Tavistock Abbey in the 10th century by the founder Ordulf in right of his wife, Abina. It is not mentioned among the abbey's possessions in 1086, possibly being assessed with Abbotsham or Wrdieta, (Goldsworthy), but it is enumerated in 1193 in the confirmation charter of Celestine III. The family of Dacus or le Deneys were early tenants under the abbey. Early descents given.

Rouge et Noir, 1940 - 1941, Notes from the Rolls of the Courts Leet of the Manors of Awlington and Monkleigh, 117-118 (Article in Serial). SDV7712.

Record in 1455 that John Denys of Orleigh owes suit and homage for lands and tenements he holds in Orleigh, identified as Beara and Shortridge. See CRFs.

Pevsner, N., 1952, The Buildings of England: North Devon, 132 (Monograph). SDV336196.

A Tudor house in bad state of repair. The porch is still there with a fine doorway and a tunnel vaulted chamber above.

Dennys, R., 1952-1953, Notes on the Dennys Familey, 7-9 (Article in Serial). SDV7715.

Good discussion of the part played by the Dennis family at Orleigh given.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1953, SS42SW2 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV7707.

Home of the Dennis family from 1200 to 1664, when it passed to Nicholas Glynne, and in 1687 to Davie who practically rebuilt the house. The only part in its original form is the chapel, to which Bishop Stafford granted licence early in the 15th century. It was an oratory. Porch added by davie, and chapel converted into entrance hall. First mention of Orleigh Court in 1819. Other details: Sketch + Plan.

Department of Environment, 1955, Bideford RD, 3 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV4813.

Seymour, D. J., 1955 - 1958, The Smaller Manor Houses of Medieval Devon, 13 (Article in Serial). SDV6523.

The hall has magnificent hammer beam roof. House in poor shape and neglected.

Child, P., 1970s, Orleigh Court (Ground Photograph). SDV365402.

Photos of the interior including the hammerbeam roof showing some of the animal carvings in situ and a close up of the carvings of dogs who had been removed.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1980, Untitled Source (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV321577.

Orleigh Court is now a farmhouse, a large part of which is unoccupied.

Timms, S. C., 1982, Orleigh Court (Personal Comment). SDV7710.

The house has recently been sold, and there is a proposal to convert it into separate dwellings. An architectural survey has recently been carried out

Beacham, P. M., 1982, Orleigh Court (Correspondence). SDV7711.

Examination of roof structure shows building in its entirety has complex development with extensions in medieval, late 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries. External alterations in 19th century. Late 19th century facades are misleading. May be upgraded to Grade I.

Beacham, P., 1986, Torridge District: Orleigh Court, Buckland Brewer (Correspondence). SDV349868.

Ten medieval sculptures from the hammer-beam roof of Orleigh Court were removed during repairs and recently proposed for sale by Sotheby's, but have now been withdrawn from sale. They are of medieval beasts including a dog, unicorn and a monkey.

Department of Environment, 1988, Buckland Brewer, 65 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV7717.

Early-mid C14 hall with fine late C15 hammer-beam roof. C18 + c19 alterations. Converted into flats 1982. Courtyard plan with projecting wing. C14 doorway; c15 door; c16/c17 mullioned and transomed window. C16 dog-leg staircase. See DoE list for full details.

Cherry, B., 1988, The Devon Country House in the Late Seventeenth and Early Eighteenth Centuries, 102 (Article in Serial). SDV129144.

C18 range added at the high end of the preserved open medieval hall.

Cherry, B. + Pevsner, N., 1989, The Buildings of England: Devon, 613-614 (Monograph). SDV325629.

Of rubble stone with late medieval 2 storey porch. Traces of large chimneystack in servants' hall suggest the site of the medieval kitchen.

Chappell, S., 2012, Hammer Beam Carvings at Orleigh Court (Ground Photograph). SDV349869.

Photos show nine carvings now on the mantelpiece.

Ordnance Survey, 2023, Mastermap 2023 (Cartographic). SDV365227.

Marked as Orleigh Court and remains of Mansion. Shown divided into flats.

Historic England, 2023, National Heritage List for England, 1170935 (National Heritage List for England). SDV365228.

Manor House. Early/mid C14 hall, built for the Dennys family, altered when very fine late C15 hammer-beam roof installed; altered c. 1720 for Joseph Davie, whose father, a Bideford merchant, had acquired the property in 1684; exterior remodelled after 1869 for Thomas Rogers by J.H. Hakewill; converted into flats in 1982.
See listing description for full details.
Date first listed: 22nd January 1952

Webbers, c.1982, Orleigh Court (Report - non-specific). SDV365407.

Sales particulars for Orleigh Court which has been given planning permission for conversion into 11 self-contained units.

Rogers, W. H. H., c1920, Buckland Brewer, 50-54 (Monograph). SDV7718.

Orleigh Court. Held by family of Dacus or Dennis. Of the Dennis house the only remaining part is the lofty entrance hall with its oak timbered roof and massive door studded and barred with oak the porch and small chamber over it. Originally a newel staircase leading from the porch up to the gallery at the west end of the hall. Gallery gone and the staircase built up; licence for an oratory granted march 1416 by Bishop Stafford. May have been the small chamber over the porch with its barrel vaulting. Hall was originally panelled with oak, representing scriptual figures; became infected with dry rot; the panelling now filling the east end of the hall was discovered in a loft over the stables. Bold pattern with fine scallop shell ornament, similar to west screen in church of Walpole St. Peter in Norfolk (1570-80). Royal arms of Edward vi were over the panelling. The Davies who remodelled the house in 1721, broke out of the big mullioned window with the Davie arms in colour. They built the beechwood balustrade of the principal staircase (the oak staircase at the end of the hall at an earlier date). There were originally farm buildings at the back of the house, these have been removed.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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