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Summary

Combe Royal house built in 17th or 18th century with later alteration and additions and probably on the site of a Domesday manor house.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1325077: COOMBE ROYAL MANOR HOUSE (RESIDENTIAL HOME)

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX74NW/11
• Old Listed Building Ref (II)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• HOUSE (XI to XXI - 1001 AD to 2009 AD (Between))

Full description

Dymond, R., 1877, Kingsbridge and Dodbrooke., 146-7 (Article in Serial). SDV141016.

Reichel, O. J., 1913, The Hundred of Stanborough or Dippeforda in the Time of 'Testa de Nevil' AD 1243, 190, 205 (Article in Serial). SDV336180.

The probable site of the Domesday manor of Cumbe. Mentioned in 'Testa de Nevil' in 1243 and some subsequent descents down to 1428 are given.

Mee, A., 1934, Untitled Source (Monograph). SDV336497.

Combe Royal was mentioned in a document of 1373. A Tudor house.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1953, SX74NW9 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV336900.

The present house is modern.

English Heritage, 1990, Churchstow (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV336901.

Coombe Royal Manor House (Residential Home). A country house, now an old peoples' home. Probably late 17th or early 18th century, extended and remodelled in c1870 with 20th century alterations. Coursed and dressed slate with Bathstone dressing. Slate roofs with stone coped gable ends. Axial stacks with brick shafts - rear wing has gable end and truncated lateral stack. Plan: T-shaped plan. The c1870 Jacobean style main front range is of 2-room plan comprising a large hall on the right with a staircase in the rear right corner a park at the front and on the left of the front range is the drawing room. The front range is a Victorian cross-wing addition to an earlier late 17th or early 18th century house which is not the rear service wing. Exterior: 2 storey and attic. Asymmetrical 1:3 bay gabled east front on the right. Stone cross-mullion-transon windows, the attic windows in gables, the gable on the right is larger and has ball finial and with large stone porch with moulded round arch linked rusticated pilasters and panelled inner doors. The bay to the left has gabled projection at centre with large canted stone 2-storey bay window with bracketed cornices and strapwork friezes. Similar single storey bay window on left hand gable end with 3-light stone mullion-transon widow above. To left the rear wing (original house) has a symmetrical 2:1:2 bay front facing south, centre gabled bay breaks forward; small late 19th or 20th century 4-pair sashes in openings with rendered surrounds and central round arch doorway with semi-window fanlight with radiating glazing bars and flush panel door; 4 late 19th or 20th century gabled dormers. At rear (north) of rear wing a projecting truncated lateral stack to left of centre and 20th century single storey flat roof extension. Interior: In c1870 front range the hall has early 17th century style rib moulded ceiling, panelling and open-well staircase with twisted balusters. The drawing room has a moulded plaster Rococo style ceiling , pedimented overdoor and chimney piece with Rococo decoration. The late 17th or early 18th century rear wing has been much altered inside and has later partitions, an axial corridor down the centre and Victorian joinery including the staircase in the central hall. The original roof structure over the rear wing has been replaced. Garden wall late 19th century. Slate with dressed slate arches; inside the arches alternate courses of red brick stretchers and brick-on-edge. Large free-standing wall with arcade of chamfered 4-centred arches of dressed slate and with them buttresses with set-offs between the arches. At the left end there is a blind ninth bay. Included for group value. (This building was included in the list for the Rural District of Kingsbridge, dated
25 October 1951). Other details: LBS No 99585.

Anon, 1993, Combe Royal, 2 (Article in Serial). SDV336902.

Wessex Archaeology, 2007, Historic Environment Audit of Devon County Farms. Pilot Project. Results of Higher Leigh Farm, Leigh Cross, Kingsbridge, 9 (Report - Assessment). SDV338380.

Grade II listed building, built in the 17th or 18th century, probably on the site of a medieval manor house.

Batty, S., 2009, 'A Valley of Delight'. An Introduction to the Garden at Lower Coombe Royal, 12-13 (Article in Serial). SDV347387.

Polwhele in his History of Devonshire (1793-1806) describes the house as a 'modern-built house' and today it appears largely Victorian as the house was much altered in the mid 19th century. The house is now owned by Devon Social Services.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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