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Summary

Former manor house. Circa early 16th century. Whitewashed stone rubble. Welsh slate roof with gabled ends, heightened at north east end. Two storeys. Approx five window range. 19th and 20th century sashes and casements. May have been a house on this site as early as 1247.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1325429: MANOR HOUSE

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX66SE67
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 441970
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX66SE/65
• Old Listed Building Ref (II): 99362

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CHURCH HOUSE (Built, XV to XVI - 1500 AD (Between) to 1550 AD (Between))
• MANOR HOUSE (Built, XV to XVI - 1500 AD (Between) to 1550 AD (Between))

Full description

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, SX66SE67 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV178291.

Pearson, J. B., 1900, Church Houses in Devon, 210 (Article in Serial). SDV5752.

There was a church house here, probably the house now called The Manor House. It abuts into the church yard at the south east and appears to have been enlarged, probably when the porch was added. This porch projects boldly and is of two stages. To it is attached at the west a square stair turret with a small internally splayed wooden framed window. The outer doorway has a pointed and slightly moulded granite head, whitewashed like most of the building. Except on the porch, the roofs are of modern slates. The upper chamber window and one on the porch basement on its east side are early victorian replacements. On the left of the plain late inner doorway, within, is a granite semi-circular staircase with a stone landing, on which are two plain old wooden doorways. The porch room is entered by 3 steps and has a plain 3-sided ceiling and a wall recess made by a blocked doorway. In the present dining room is a wide open fireplace in the west wall with a very long chamfered oak lintel, the remains of an oven to the left and a curious projection at the back to the right. The plain and rectangular rear doorway admits into the churchyard at a higher level. It has an old door with wooden bolt and latch and trefoil hinges. May have been a priest's house at one time with direct access to the church. Kitchen and dining room have been modernised. A semi-circular staircase leads from kitchen to upper floor, with a small two-light wooden framed window which has a projecting slab as a sill. The steps are of wood and the 'turret' is gabled. On the east gable end is an old short square stone chimney, and east of the porch is a tall square stone chimney with a conical cap. There are 4 windows on the south side, some with wooden lintels exposed like that at the rear, and most are splayed within. The bedrooms have three-sided plaster ceilings with the springers of the plain roof timbers exposed, straight and unmoulded. Reputed to date from the 15th century. To the west is a quadrangle of outbuildings joined to the house on the north side, with a tablet inscribed "W. C. G. /1892". In the centre of the quadrangle is a square two stepped mounting block.

Copeland, G. W., 1954, Old Houses visited in 1953 by the Plymouth Branch, 324-5 (Article in Serial). SDV178290.

Early 16th century house recast and much altered at various periods.

Copeland, G. W., 1963, Devonshire Church Houses: Part 4, 151-2 (Article in Serial). SDV7678.

A. C. + H. E., 1966, An account of the church & parish of South Brent from two different sources (Pamphlet). SDV323988.

The Manor House is said to have formerly been a convent with direct access to St Petrock's Parish Church to the north. Other details: 1st Edition 1951.

Robinson, R., 1977-1979, South Brent Parish Checklist Worksheets, Pages 610-613 of 821 (Worksheet). SDV340722.

Worksheet gives details of a large number of documentary references to this church house, dating back to 1517.

Department of Environment, 1986, South Brent, 56 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV178295.

Former manor house. Circa early 16C. Whitewashed stone rubble. Welsh slate roof with gabled ends, heightened at north east end. Two storeys. Approx five window range. 19C and 20C sashes and casements. Two storey, gabled porch to right of centre with chamfered two-centred arch doorway and large four-centre arch window above with 19C window frame. Stair turret in the angle to the left and projecting chimney stack in the angle on front wall to the right. Also chimney stacks at gable ends. Gabled stair turret at higher end at rear. Doorway and windows at rear with chamfered wooden lintels. Dated 1802. Priory outbuilding range at lower end to left (south west) now part of house. Interior: at lower end a wide open fireplace with deeply chamfered wooden bressummer. Interior: formerly an open half with later floor inserted. Stone newel staircase beside front porch at lower end and wooden newel stairs at higher end with ovolo moulded wooden doorframe at top. Hall fireplace on front wall has chamfered granite jambs and 20C blocking. Large open fireplace at lower end with long stopped chamfer wooden bressummer and oven. Closely spaced joists at lower end supported on new cross-beam. Most, if not all the roof trusses have been replaced.

Matthews, A., 1989, An Archaeological Evaluation at South Brent Vicarage, Devon, 1989 (Report - Evaluation). SDV360389.

Waterhouse, R. E., 1991, The Church Houses of South Devon: an archaeological survey, 77-78 (Report - Survey). SDV7736.

Church House. Long whitewashed building, aligned east/west. Two storey porch placed centrally on south side. Stone newel stair on west side. Timber newel stair with upper landing serving two first floor rooms in gabled projection from rear. Large hearth in south wall below lateral stack for solar. Granite jambs. Roof timbers badly preserved and consist of a frames with collars and threaded purlins, but no cruck feet. 19C building continues to west with church hall on first floor and stores beneath. Presumed replacement for church house when earlier building became private house. Connecting door between both buildings on first floor. Scissor braced pine roof trusses. Granite rubble construction. Gothic arched window in first floor of porch (possibly 18C) and front door (same date as porch). 17C oak doorframes at top and bottom of rear spiral stair.

Wall, G., 2005, The Book of South Brent. Another Portrait of a Dartmoor Community, 17, 24 (Monograph). SDV360849.

In 1247 the village of Brent consisted of the church and seven houses; Island House and the Church House were two of these.

South Brent Parish Council and the South Brent Action and Community Group, 2007, The Village Design Statement for South Brent, 23 (Report - Assessment). SDV359978.

The Church House; the old manor house next to St Petroc’s Church is one of the noteable buildings in the village.

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

Historic England, 2017, National Heritage List for England, Accessed 06/02/2017 (National Heritage List for England). SDV359963.

SOUTH BRENT CHURCH STREET SX 6960 - 14/82 Manor House - 9-2-61 - II
Former Manor House. Circa early C16. Whitewashed stone rubble. Welsh slate roof with gabled ends, heightened at north east end. Two storeys. Approximately five window range. C19 and C20 sashes and casements. Two storey, gabled porch to right of centre with chamfered two-centred arch doorway and large four-centre arch window above with C19 window-frame. Stair turret in the angle to the left and projecting chimney stack in the angle on front wall to the right. Also chimney stacks at gable ends. Gabled stair turret at higher end at rear. Doorway and windows at rear with chamfered wooden lintels. Dated 1802. Priory outbuilding range at lower end to left (south west) now part of house.
Interior: At lower end a wide open fireplace with deeply chamfered wooden bressummer. Interior: Formerly an open half with later floor inserted. Stone newel staircase beside front porch at lower end and wooden newel stairs at higher end with ovolo moulded wooden doorframe at top. Hall fireplace on front wall has chamfered granite jambs and C20 blocking. Large open fireplace at lower end with long stopped chamfer wooden bressummer and oven. Closely-spaced joists at lower end supported on new cross-beam. Most, if not all, the roof trusses have been replaced.
Listing NGR: SX6964360224

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV2973 - The Church Houses of South Devon: an archaeological survey

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