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Summary

Reputedly a former longhouse, now a private dwelling. Early to mid 16th century, with late 16th century alterations, and some 20th century alterations following a fire in 1985.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1258325: DINNACOMBES

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS62NW/29/1

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• HOUSE (XVI to XX - 1501 AD to 2000 AD (Between))

Full description

Hulland, C., 1984, Devonshire Farmhouses Part IV: More Medieval Houses in North and Mid Devon, 48-52; figures 15-16 (Article in Serial). SDV351736.

Dinnacombes. House facing north situated just off the large square of the nucleated settlement of Chittlehampton. Together with 'The Curatage' adjoining to the east, the two houses represented the Parson's portion of the village. Until 1979 the house retained its original longhouse form, with a shippen instead of a lower room. Built largely of rubble masonry with some cob sections, and original cruck trusses. First construction phase appeared to be early 16th century, the second phase late 16th to 17th century, and the third phase 18th century and later. In 1979 the house was converted into a modern dwelling.

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

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

Reputedly a former longhouse, now private dwelling. Early to mid C16, with late C16 alterations and some C20 alterations following fire in 1985. Painted rendered stone rubble and cob. Thatch roof with gable ends. Tall front lateral hall stack with tapered cap. Small rendered ridge stack inserted in C20 to lower end. Plan: 3-room-and-through-passage plan with the upper storey carried over wide carriageway at left (lower end) and thatched outshuts to rear of lower end and hall, the latter enclosing a stair turret. DeveloDment: former open hall house of 4 bays, the lower end to left used as a lofted outbuilding until circa 1980, when an end stack was inserted and it was only partially floored to create a connecting gallery to the chambers over the carriageway. Central drainage gully no longer survives, but there is said to have been clear evidence of it before the alterations. Low screen plank and muntin partition to lower side of passage and full-height plank and muntin screens at either end of the hall, with a narrow unheated inner room at the right end. The evidence for smoke-blackening has been disturbed as a result of a thatch fire in 1985, but nevertheless appears to have been relatively light, suggesting the hall remained open to the roof for only a short period, probably being ceiled in the late C16, when the front stack was inserted, the 2-storey hall window bay built out, and a winder staircase added in a rounded stair turret at the rear of the hall towards its lower end. Probably in the C17, a dairy outshut was added to the rear upper end of the hall and in the C18 an outshut to the rear of the lower end, with a fireplace added across the angle at its front left-hand corner. The hall stack has a bread oven but it is possible that cooking was also done in the rear outshut. 2 storeys. 4 window range. C19/C20 fenestration. All 2-light casements to upper storey. Ground floor has wide cart entrance at left end, with C20 3-light and 2- light casements to right under continuous timber lintel inserted in former entrance to shippon. Shallow porch with slate leanto roof and C20 door to through-passage doorway. 3 light hall window to right in 2 storey bay built out in line with stack. 2-light casement, 6 panes per light to inner room at right and; the upper storey is blind but there is known to be a concealed mullion window; opposite it at the rear is a 2 light casement, the right-hand light retaining its square leaded panes. Small 2-light timber mullion window to stair turret. Interior: despite late C20 alterations and thatch fire, the interior is of considerable interest and retains much C16/C17 fabric. Lower end has cross ceiling beam chamfered on upper face only, with evidence of former partition between carriageway and lower end on lower face; loft floor removed and replaced with partial flooring to gallery along the rear wall, leaving the roof trusses exposed from ground floor level. Part of plank and muntin screen, 2 planks wide, survives to front end between passage and lower end, the muntins chamfered, with chamfered head beam surviving the length of the passage; the durns are inserted. C17 panelled door to rear through-passage doorway. The full height screen to the hall side of the passage has chamfered head beam and muntins with diagonal cut stops, 4 planks wide to left, 3 planks wide to right of flat 4-centred arched doorway with chamfered surround and reused C17 panelled doorway. Single chamfered cross ceiling beam and hall fireplace lintel with hollow step stops. Dressed stone jambs and bread oven to fireplace. Screen to upper end of hall, 7 planks wide, has head beam and muntins chamfered on hall side only with diagonal cut stops, the doorway narrowed by the insertion of a jamb. Chamfered surround to straight-headed doorway through from the hall to dairy with old 3 plank door. Treads to under staircase replaced in late C20. Outshut to rear of lower end has fireplace with rounded back. The upper floor largely remodelled in late C20, but one panelled cupboard door survives to chamber over inner room. Roof structure: C20 roof superimposed over side pegged jointed cruck truss over hall, the feet cut away and 2 raised cruck trusses over lower end, with trenched purlins and diagonally set ridge purlin. The timbers, where possible to distinguish from charring following the 1985 fire appear only slightly smoke-blackened. Roof structure over inner room replaced in late C18 or early C19, and to chamber over passageway in C20.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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