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Summary

Pair of houses originally built as a single house circa 1670-1690, as shown by the blocked doorways between the front rooms of each house on floor. Number 15 retains a well-preserved ornamental plaster ceiling in the first floor front room. All that remains in the equivalent room in number 16 is the remains of a frieze.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1209976: 15 AND 16, THE STRAND

Other References/Statuses

• Old Listed Building Ref (II)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• HOUSE (XVII to XXI - 1601 AD to 2009 AD (Between))

Full description

Torridge District Council, Bideford Conservation Area Partnership Scheme. Action Plan for 1996-1999, 13 (Un-published). SDV345901.

Department of National Heritage, 19/04/1993, Bideford, 227 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV338459.

15 and 16, The Strand.

Pair of terrace-houses. Probably early or mid 17th century altered early 19th century. Solid rendered fronts. Slate roofs. Old red-brick chimney at left end of ridge. 20th century brick chimney on front roof-slope, over the party-wall. 3 storeys; each house of 2-window range with doorway to right of right-hand ground-storey window. 4-panelled door with knocker to Number 16; flat moulded hood on shaped brackets. Door and adjacent window at Number 15 altered, but above both is a plain hood on 3 shaped brackets similar to those at Number 16. Other windows have barred sashes: 6-paned, except that in the second and third storeys at Number 15 and in the third storey at Number 16 the upper sashes are only 3-paned. Boxed eaves cornice.

Interiors not inspected but W.H. Rogers refers to early or mid 17th century ceiling and overmantel to Number 15. In the ceiling 'vine pattern, which runs intermingling with roses between the panels, is repeated in a broad border round the outside. The frieze shows the conventional design of two winged figures facing one another holding corner (sic) copiae.' Overmantel had initials IL IL.

Rogers, W. H. H., 1948, Untitled Source, 76-77 (Un-published). SDV7311.

Torridge District Council, 2007, Alterations and Improvements (Planning Application). SDV338461.

Graham J. Sturkey Associates, 2007, Proposed Alterations and Improvements at 15 The Strand, Bideford (Un-published). SDV338460.

It would appear that number 15 was originally part of one dwelling with number 16, subsequently divided into two. Number 15 has had a number of unsympathetic alterations circa 1960.

Torridge District Council, 2009, Bideford Conservation Area Appraisal, 16 (Report - non-specific). SDV351295.

Keystone Historic Buildings Consultants, 2009, The Plaster Frieze at 16 The Strand, Bideford, Devon (Report - Survey). SDV342626.

Numbers 15 and 16, The Strand present similar two-window fronts, three storeys high, under a continuous gable-ended roof. Each house has rear rooms to each floor under its own crossroofs, together presenting a double-gabled rear elevation. The outer walls are mostly stone rubble, but the wall between the front and rear rooms is cob (at least in number 16). Both houses have brick stacks on their outer end walls serving ground and first floor fireplaces.
With the interior of number 16 stripped out it is clear that both were built as a single house circa 1670-1690, as shown by the flying freehold at the back of the building and blocked doorways between the front rooms on all three levels. The ground floor front room of number 16 has a timber bolection chimneypiece, and, in the rear wall, a large cupboard with a nowey-head to the timber frame and field panel doors, typical of the period circa 1680-1710. The rear room included a tight winder stair in the outer corner next to the front room. The remains of 17th century plasterwork uncovered in the first floor front room indicates this was a high status domestic room. All that remains is a damaged frieze. The frieze was made of lime plaster casts of leaves, fruit and flowers, laid onto a base of haired mud plaster. The frieze is considered to be original to the 17th century house and contemporary with the well-preserved ornamental plaster in the equivalent room in number 15. This latter plaster comprises a frieze which features angels playing lyres, an enriched rib ceiling of unusual design and an overmantel plaque in the form of a cartouche. The attic rooms on the second floor are open to the roof. The front and rear rooms are both three bays with two A-frame trusses carrying the rear crossroof and three carrying the front roof.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 2010, Bideford (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV345393.

15 and 16, The Strand.

Two terraced houses originally a single property, early or mid 17th century. Early 19th and 20th century alterations. The houses are constructed of brick and stone and are clad in render. Both properties share a continuous slate roof with a tile ridge.

The houses are situated within a terrace set back from The Strand with the principal fagade facing the north. Both properties are of three storeys and two bays. Each bay contains a window on every floor with the doors situated to the west of each building. Both doorways have simple timber doorhoods, with the hood continued over the west ground floor window of Number 15. The windows on the ground floor of both houses consist of six-over-six timber sashes with similarly arranged sashes situated within the first floor of Number16. Three-over-six sashes are situated with the first floor of Number 16 and the second floor of Numbers 15 and 16. A chimney is situated within the party wall to the east of Number 15.

The main doorway within the principal facade of Number 15 accesses a small entrance lobby within the ground floor front room. The interior retains a segmental headed fireplace within the east elevation of the living room and the kitchen. A quarter-turn stair is located between the living room and the kitchen, which is supported by a timber and stone pier within the south wall of the living room. The front bedroom on the first floor contains an early or mid-17th century decorative plaster ceiling of circular design with floral decoration. The plaster frieze beneath the moulded cornice depicts two winged figures facing one another and holding a cornucopia. A modern staircase has been inserted within the hallway behind the staircase to the first floor.

The ground floor of Number 16 is divided into two rooms. Within the front room he fireplace contains an early 20th century timber and tile surround situated within the west elevation. The east elevation is constructed of a timber frame with brick nogging and a fitted cupboard is located in the south wall. Within the room to the rear a winder stair is situated to the northwest corner and a brick fireplace is located within the west wall. Part of the east wall is constructed of timber and cob. On the first floor there is a 17th century plaster frieze situated below the ceiling. The east wall consists of 17th century panelling contemporary with the plaster frieze. The roof has a collar beam and trenched purlins with the rafters and principal rafters carried on a large wall-plate between the two properties.

Ordnance Survey, 2012, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV348725.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4529 - Assessment of Plaster Frieze at 16 The Strand, Bideford

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