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Summary

House, now a restaurant and offices. Early or mid 17th century in date (possibly a remodelling of an earlier structure), altered in the 19th century and with a 20th century addition at the rear.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1200941: ROSE OF TORRIDGE

Other References/Statuses

• Old Listed Building Ref (II): 375924

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• HOUSE (XVII to XX - 1601 AD to 2000 AD (Between))

Full description

Goaman, M., Bideford in Old Picture Postcards (Unknown). SDV350085.

Plates 18-20

Wood, J., 1842, Plan of the Town of Bideford (Cartographic). SDV342513.

In 1842, Wood's plan shows it as 3 separate properties marked 'Western' but 20 years later (before 1864) it had become the Newfoundland Inn.

Ordnance Survey, 1855-1895, Towns 1855-95 1:500 (Cartographic). SDV348147.

"Newfoundland Inn" marked.

Department of National Heritage, 19/04/1993, Bideford, 214-5 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV338459.

House, now a restaurant and offices. Early or mid 17th century in date (possibly a remodelling of an earlier structure), altered in the 19th century and with a 20th century addition at rear. Solid rendered walls (some stone rubble visible internally in ground-storey left side-wall and adjacent rear wall); front of third storey may be timber-framed. Pantiled roofs; there were probably 3 roofing-spans originally, lying at right-angles to the quay, but the right-hand span appears to have been replaced by a flat roof. No chimneys. Double-depth plan, 3 rooms wide. 3 storeys; 3-window range, the top storey jettied and finished with 3 triangular gablets corresponding to the original roofing-spans behind. The ground and second storeys have a pilaster at each end; these may be a 19th century addition, but it could be that they are the ends of the side-walls, the timber-framed front wall between them having been rebuilt in brick. At the top of each pilaster, under the jetty, is a large foliated corbel, probably 19th century. Ground storey has late 19th or early 20th century canted display window at each end. Entrance in centre is flanked by piers with moulded capitals; 2 angled doors recessed within a lobby, each with a solid moulded panel at the bottom and a glazed upper part with margin-panes. Continuous entablature above both display windows and entrance.
In second storey, 3 wooden mid 19th century canted bay windows with sashes; 4-paned sashes in centre, 2-paned ones at the sides, all with margin-panes. Third storey has mid or late 20th century three-light wooden casement windows with transom-lights. Right side-wall (visible from public alley) has 20th century wooden casement windows in upper storeys, those in second storey with glazing-bars. 2 short ground-storey window with ogee-moulded wooden mullions, each of 4 lights. The left-hand window has the 3 original centre mullions and the left end-mullion, but the remainder, including both sill and lintel, are 20th century replicas; the right-hand window is in a similar condition, except that the original lintel with pegged joints survives. At the right-hand end, just beyond the back of the original building, is a square-headed 17th century door-frame with ovolo and hollow mouldings, these finished at the bottom with large vase-stops; the feet of the jambs have been cut off and replaced in replica.
Interior: little original work can now be seen, and there are several 20th century beams and joists, together with some imitation panelling. The left-hand second-storey front room has an original ovolo-moulded ceiling-beam with no visible stops and a rear square-headed door-frame, also with ovolo mouldings and elaborated scroll-stops; adjoining it in the lobby outside is a matching door-frame with 20th century door opening into the left-hand rear room. The left-hand roof-span has old trusses with collar-beams and purlins; middle roof-span not accessible. Two recesses in the left side-wall may be blocked windows, suggesting perhaps that the building was originally free-standing. Although altered, this building is a type of high-class early post-medieval town house that is rare in Devon. It is likely to contain original fireplaces, partitions (possibly panelled) and door-frames at present concealed by later plastering and boarding. W.H Rogers has suggested that this building was erected in 1633 at the rear end of a garden belonging to a house in Allhalland Street. In 1842, Wood's plan shows it as 3 separate properties marked 'Western' but 20 years later (before 1864) it had become the Newfoundland Inn. It was subsequently renamed The Old Ship Tavern. Old photographs show it with a very high parapet, wholly concealing the roof-gables.

Devon County Council, 1975, Bideford Town Trail, 77 (Article in Monograph). SDV352469.

Rogers, W.H., 1976, Notes on Bideford, 97-8 (Unknown). SDV350084.

Timms, S. C., 1976, The Devon Urban Survey, 1976. First Draft (Report - Survey). SDV341346.

Timms, S. C., 1977-1981, Bideford Development Control Consultations (Un-published). SDV346164.

Proposal in 1980 for conversion of flat roof to roof garden.
Visited 19th January 1982 by Simon Timms. Owners have some historical material on this interesting building.

Fielder, D.A, 1985, A History of Bideford, Plates 1-2 (Unknown). SDV350086.

Christie, P., 1985, In Retrospect (Article in Serial). SDV126107.

The Rose of Torridge, built in 1626 as a dwelling house, once had boats anchored a little way outside. Prior to this century it was known as the Newfoundland Inn, a name recording Bideford's links with the Newfoundland fish trade.

Torridge District Council, 2003, Bideford Townscape Heritage Initiative Stage 2 Bid, 9 (Un-published). SDV345899.

Rose of Torridge is a 16th century, jettied, timber-framed building, now with a stuccoed front.

Rushton, N., 2006, River Torridge Pipeline, Bideford, Devon: Rapid Archaeological Appraisal, 7 (Report - Interim). SDV342463.

Torridge District Council, 2009, Bideford Conservation Area Appraisal, 14 (Report - non-specific). SDV351295.

Along the Quay is a good range of early 17th - 19th century buildings. In particular is No 6, Rose of Torridge, probably constructed in 1633 as a town house in the rear gardens of Allhalland Street properties.

Dick, A. M., 2009, The Rose of Torridge, 6 The Quay, Bideford (Ground Photograph). SDV355659.

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

Unknown, Unknown, Old Postcards of Bideford Quay (Un-published). SDV346241.

Shown variously as "Ship Tavern", "The Old Ship Tavern" and "Newfoundland Hotel".

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4517 - Archaeological Appraisal of River Torridge Pipeline Routes, Bideford, Devon

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