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Summary

Merchant's house, now a restaurant, probably built in the second half of the 15th century, restored circa 1958. The oldest complete house still standing in Dartmouth and one of the oldest town houses in the south-west.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II*) 1209644: THE CHERUB

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX85SE/27
• Old Listed Building Ref (II*): 387272

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• JETTIED HOUSE (Built, XV - 1401 AD to 1500 AD)
• MERCHANTS HOUSE (Built, XV - 1401 AD to 1500 AD)

Full description

Russell, P. + Everett, A. W., 1959, The Old House Known as Number Thirteen Higher Street, Dartmouth, 110-11; plates 26-9 (Article in Serial). SDV341032.

No.13, (The Cherub), Higher Street, Dartmouth. Recently restored. Faces west on to Higher Street and north on to Horn Hill. Three storeys with cellar below. On east and part of south sides a stone wall rises to the top of the first floor. Top- most storey oversails the wall on the east. At the south end of this wall is a wide, shallow projection resembling a flat buttress, probably associated with the corbelling seen in the south-east corner of the cellar. The ground floor room has a fireplace on the south side, its wooden lintel supported on corbels of the same material. To the left is a shallow recess, purpose unknown. The stair to the upper floors is to the right of the fireplace. It has a long timber newel-post, round which the stairs wind. The room is lit by two four-light windows flanking the entrance from higher street, with another window at the western end of the north wall. All of modern construction. Ceiling exhibits the use of 'dragon beam' construction. Two diagonal beams are anchored to the centre of a longditudinal beam, running out to the north-west and south-east corners of the building. They project beyond the walls of the ground floor and carry the angle posts of the floor above. They also support the inner ends of the floor joists, which project externally and carry the oversailing floor above. Same type of beam in first floor room. Two pairs of light windows were discovered in the north wall of this room during restoration. The lights have depressed trefoil heads under an external ogee moulding. Copies of these windows have been fitted into the original window openings in the west wall. The second floor oversails the stone wall on the east. The timber construction wall has two long diagonal struts. Windows are of recent construction, but are in the original window openings. The building consisted of three rooms only; the hall, the solar and dormitory on the top floor. The 'business' was probably conducted in the cellar. The building seems to be of mid 15th century century, but Horn Hill was closely developed around 1375 and the stone walls on the east and south sides may be remains of an older building.

Department of Environment, 1972, Dartmouth, 25 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV155627.

17th century, 3 storey, timber-framed house with carved angle bracket to deep 1st floor overhang. Two 2-light cusped gothic windows at 2nd floor.

Devon County Council, 1975, Dartmouth - Walk about in the Conservation Area & Exploring Dartmouth and Kingswear, 35, 37 (Article in Monograph). SDV352452.

Ordnance Survey, 2008, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV340009.

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

Merchant's house, now a restaurant. Probably second half of the 15th century, restored circa 1958 for Cresswell Mullet by Blamey and Co. Mixed construction; rear and right (southern) party walls and cellar walls of stone rubble, and exposed walls timber-framed; stone rubble stack in right party wall with 19th century red brick chimneyshaft and old pots; slate roof. Plan: One-room plan with newel stair against right party wall towards the front. Exterior: 3 storeys and cellar. Main front to Higher Street has a 2-window front, all are 20th century replacements and contain 20th century diamond panes of leaded glass. 2 ground-floor doorways, both contain Tudor-style panelled doors, one at right end and another in centre. 4-light mullioned window between doorways and another to left. First-floor windows are copies of 15th century originals in the side wall. Similar 2-window front to Hornhill but steps here go down to cellar which has another Tudor-style panelled door through stone wall. On this side both first-floor windows are original 2-lights with depressed trefoil heads under an external ogee arch moulding. Timber-framing is restored but contains a great deal of original timber; large framing with large curving tension braces. Jetties carried on the projecting ends of the floor joists with extra support from curved brackets set into the corner posts and king studs. Some of the carpenter's assembly marks in Latin numerals can be seen. Low pitch roof is hipped to left. Interior: Cellar has plastered walls and plain axial (north-south) beam with replacement joists. Ground- and first-floor structures are exposed with main axial beams and dragon beams. Although the ground-floor dragon beams and joists have been repositioned on top of the main beam (to achieve practical headroom) most are thought to be original, and mortises in the sides of the beam show a similar original joist pattern. Original second-floor arrangement is more complete and appears to include an original stair hatch towards the north end, west of the axial beam. The newel stair is probably 17th century. The fireplaces, one to each floor, are small with plain oak lintels. Roof structure not inspected but probably 19th century. No.13 Higher Street is the oldest complete house still standing in Dartmouth and one of the oldest town houses in the south-west, forming part of a fine group.

Waterhouse, R., Unknown, Dartmouth Conservation Area: Archaeology, 11 (Un-published). SDV355585.

The Cherub has been identified as a rare and complete example of a late 14th century merchant’s house.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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