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Summary

Custom House, early 18th century. Originally two storeys with attics, raised to three storeys circa 1930, and converted to domestic residences circa 1985.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1197571: THE OLD CUSTOM HOUSE
• Listed Building (II) 1208079: CUSTOM HOUSE

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX85SE/89
• Old Listed Building Ref (II): 387157
• Old Listed Building Ref: 357158

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Ordnance Survey, 1855-1895, First Edition 1:500 Town Map (Cartographic). SDV338879.

'Custom House' shown. Map object based on this source.

Department of Environment, 1972, Dartmouth, 6 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV155627.

No 3 (Custom House or Trinity House) and no 4, Bayard's Cove. Dated 1739. Main part of building (No 4), painted brick, three storey, three flush frame sash windows, at first floor, with glazing bars. Centre doorway with massive open pedimented canopy on shaped brackets. The third storey, added circa 1930 with three sash windows with glazing bars. Plinth. Interior: 18th century panelling, staircase and ceiling. Wing, right, (No 3) three storey, brick colourwashed, stucco ground floor, canted splay bay through first and second floors. Sash window, ground floor, with glazing bars, wide entrance, left, with double doors with sculptured royal arms and window at each floor above with glazing bars. Inscription 'H M Customs and Excise" on tablet above entrance.

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

Cherry, B. + Pevsner, N., 1989, The Buildings of England: Devon, 328 (Monograph). SDV325629.

Bayards Cove, a charming sequence of waterfront houses with a cobbled quay in front. The only grand building is the Old Custom House, dated 1739, five bays with pediment and segmental-headed doorhood.

Ordnance Survey, 2013, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV350786.

Map object based on this source.

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

No 3 Custom House, formerly listed as: Bayards Cove No 3 Custom House or Trinity House. Probably 18th century altered circa 1930. Ground floor is plastered, painted Flemish-bond brick above; right end stack with plastered brick chimneyshaft and pots; slate roof. Plan: One room wide and two rooms deep. Exterior: Three storeys; two -window front, entirely 20th century above first-floor level. Wide front doorway to left containing double three-panel doors under plain overlight. Above is a painted board, "H.M. Customs and Excise", and above it painted relief Royal Arms. 16-pane sash to ground-floor right may be early. A central canted bay rises through first and second floors with narrow windows to left (lower one with low segmental brick arch). First floor has sash windows; front 12-pane sash to bay with side eight-pane sashes and another in left window. Second floor has 20th century casements, some without glazing bars. Deep eaves with plastered soffit to parallel roof which is gable-ended to right. Interior: Not inspected but likely to be of interest. Freeman publishes an 1887 photograph which shows the building before its refurbishment. (Freeman, Ray: Dartmouth and its Neighbours: Phillimore: 1990-: PL.99).

No.4 The Old Custom House. Formerly known as: No 4 Custom House or Trinity House, Bayards Cove. House, former Custom House. Built 1737-39 on site of four cottages which were acquired by John Seale who erected the new building and leased it to H.M. Customs and Excise; extra storey added c1930, converted to domestic residence circa 1985. Painted Flemish-bond brick; brick chimneyshafts to front end and rear lateral stacks; slate roof. Plan: Double-depth plan building, 2 rooms wide with central entrance to passage and rear staircase. Service rooms to rear with rear lateral stack. Exterior: Originally two storeys with attics, raised to three storeys c1930. Symmetrical 1:3:1 window front, the centre broken forward very slightly under pediment. 16-pane sashes under flat arches at ground-floor level, larger 12 pane sashesunder low segmental arches on the first floor, and three 12-pane sashes to 20th century added second floor. Large timber central front doorway has double 3-panel door under a plain overlight and timber surround with eared architrave under segmental hood on shaped timber brackets - the date 1739 is painted below. Shallow plat band at second-floor level in place of original eaves cornice. Present deep eaves with plastered soffit to parallel gable-ended roof with front pediment. Lower part of left lead downpipe is original with winged cherub heads on the fixing straps. Interior: Well-preserved. Entrance passage lined with panelling in two heights - flat rails and muntins with shallow ovolo mouldings and vertical plank panelling (fragmentary remains of similar panelling first-floor front). Open-well open-string stair with slender turned balusters with blocks, turned newel posts, moulded flat handrail and (early) curtail step. First floor has timber box cornice including deep coving. Late 20th century partitions curve round central moulded plaster section of ceiling - hollow rib oval panel around central face in starburst and, around the oval, female heads and fleur-de-lys-like finials. Interesting brick building with many similarities with The Mansion House, No.2 Mansion House Street built in 1736. Freeman publishes an 1887 photograph of The Custom House, before the third storey was added. One of a good group of listed buildings on the old quay. (Freeman, Ray: Dartmouth and its Neighbours: Phillimore: 1990-: PL.99; P.139).

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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