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Summary

Three-room and cross passage open hall farmhouse dating to the 15th century, altered in the 17th or 18th century. Retains a smoke-blackened roof over the former open hall, plank and muntin screen, jettied solar and upper partition of original wattle and daub. West end of the house (including cross passage and service room) demolished in late 19th century. Late medieval farmhouse with some interesting and good quality features in urgent need of repair and maintenance work, a programme is currently underway (2019), which has included replacing the roof thatch.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1147228: POST OFFICE

Other References/Statuses

• Old Listed Building Ref (II): 93083

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CROSS PASSAGE HOUSE (Built, XV - 1401 AD (Between) to 1499 AD (Between))
• HOUSE (Altered, XIX to Edwardian - 1883 AD (Between) to 1905 AD (Between))
• POST OFFICE (First mentioned, Early 20th Century to Edwardian - 1901 AD (Between) to 1905 AD (Between))

Full description

Ordnance Survey, 1904 - 1906, Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map (Cartographic). SDV325644.

'Post Office' is marked on the early 20th century historic map of Sticklepath.

Ordnance Survey, 2011, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV346129.

House depicted on the modern mapping.

English Heritage, 2011, National Heritage List for England (National Heritage List for England). SDV347072.

Post Office, Sticklepath. House dating to the early 16th century with late 16th or early 17th century alterations. Plastered stone rubble walls. Gable ended thatch roof. Plan: originally likely to have had three-room and through-passage plan of which the passage and lower room have been demolished.
Interior: hall has plank and muntin screen at higher end with chamfered muntins. Inner room has ovolo and fillet moulded cross beam with deeply inscribed scrolls to the ogee stops. No access to roof-space so evidence of smoke-blackening on timbers was not available. Despite its modest size this house preserves some interesting and good quality features. (description 1987). Other details: LB UID: 93083.

White, N., 2019, Sycamore Cottage, Sticklepath Heritage Appraisal and Heritage Impact Assessment for proposed alterations, 5-13 (Report - Assessment). SDV363358.

The house is made up of the open hall and inner room of a medieval three-room cross-passage house. The 1883 map appears to show the house before the demolition of its west end, the 1904 edition shows it in its current, truncated form (so demolition thought to have taken place between 1883-1904). The house retains many classic features of a late medieval farmhouse and is likely to date from the 15th century.
Of the original house, the hall, smoke-blackened thatch, plank and muntin screen (its original doorway now blocked but clearly visible) and inner room all survive. The part demolished in the late 19th century would have included the cross passage and service room (or possibly shippon). The substantial survival of late medieval fabric - notably the smoke-blackened roof of the open hall, the plank and muntin screen, the jettied upper floor, and the wattle and daub of the upper partition – all give Sycamore Cottage uncommon historic and evidential significance
The house also contains good quality 17th century features, including the moulded beams supporting the upper floors, the corbeled granite hall fireplace and newel stair at the east end. While the house has been considerably altered it still retains considerable character and interest. Other features of interest include the front casement windows, some of which are thought to be 18th century in date and the plain plasterwork inside the house, some of which might be original.
Some urgent repair and maintenance work has already been carried out including replacing the decaying thatched roof using like-for like materials (combination of wheat and water reed), but further repair and maintenance work is advised, although with alterations including raising the chimney to meet safety regulations and demolishing the existing poor quality 20th century L-shaped brick extension and attached greenhouse conservatory. Replacement rear wing proposed that is considered sympathetic to the building.

Webb, P., 2020, Sycamore Cottage, Sticklepath, Okehampton, Devon. Results of Archaeological Monitoring and Recording (Report - Watching Brief). SDV365304.

Results of archaeological monitoring and recording carried out during groundworks associated with alterations to the dwelling at Sycamore Cottage, Sticklepath, Okehampton, Devon. The archaeological monitoring at Sycamore Cottage identified a total of seven features, dating from the post medieval and modern periods; and reflecting the historic development of the leats associated with the mills at Finch Foundry, and the later development of the garden plot to Sycamore Cottage.
The present leat structure was identified as being at least a secondary phase, replacing a much deeper well-built stone structure situated to the north; itself a possible replacement of an earlier leat. Later features identified within the site demonstrate later alterations to the layout of the garden plot and 20th century construction of out-buildings.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8205 - Heritage appraisal and impact assessment at Sycamore Cottage, Sticklepath
• EDV8889 - Monitoring and recording at Sycamore Cottage, Sticklepath (Ref: SYC20)

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