The White House

LAWHITTON RURAL SX 38 SE 4/16 The White House 22.11.60

GV II

Shown on OS map as Sherr's Barton on site of Bishop's Palace. House. Late C18 rebuilding on site of medieval bishop's palace; later additions and alterations. Painted roughly coursed slate-stone with slate hanging to south gable and on first floor and churchyard side of north-west range. Slate roofs hipped to south end of main range. This is aligned roughly north-south with range in 2 sections to north-west. 2 storeys with plinth to churchyard side. Churchyard side has three 16-paned glazing bar sashes (right 2 horned) directly below eaves to north section of main range, which has iron-barred casement to left and 16-paned glazing bar sash to right on ground floor. Central red brick ridge stack and integral end stack with octagonal shaft and finial in shape of bishop's mitre to right. This is probably late medieval but is not in situ. Lean-to projection in angle between main range and left part of north-west range has outline of earlier lean-to above and pointed wooden doorway with nail-studded plank door to front. West side has mixture of sashes and casements to main range with half-glazed door beneath hip- roofed porch in angle with north-west range, which has prominent stepped external lateral stack to west. Lower part of main range is set back with external lateral steps to first-floor doorway to far left. C19 casement on each floor to road side. Interior: Much altered C20. Late C18/early C19 collar and tie beam roof in 4 bays to south of ridge stack with 3 similar bays to north. Lower part has complete Cl9 cider press, still in working order. Late C18/early C19 collar truss roof. Late medieval round-headed wooden doorway with jowled posts and later plank door leads from lower to main part of main range but was ex-situ at time of resurvey (January 1988) owing to renovation work. The medieval Bishops of Exeter had a palace here.

Listing NGR: SX3553582331