The Thatched House

The Thatched House is a two-storey vernacular revival house built around 1925 to a design by Fred Harrild, with an extension added before 1933. It stands in the Livermead area of Torquay, an affluent suburban headland development overlooking the sea that flourished during the inter-war period.

The house is constructed of rendered mass wall construction with a thatched roof, some weather-boarding to the gables, and brick stacks. Its plan is irregular, with the principal rooms arranged in a south-facing block overlooking the garden and sea views, while service rooms occupy the rear (north) with a later range to the west. The entrance hall, containing the staircase, sits in the angle between the ranges and opens via a porch to an enclosed entrance courtyard to the east.

Externally, the house is asymmetrical with random fenestration. The principal elevation facing south is two storeys, with a formerly open timber loggia that has been enclosed. The thatched roof extends over this area and incorporates a curved dormer window to the master bedroom. Large 20th-century windows occupy the right side of this elevation. A tall brick stack with half-hipped roof and weather-boarding stands at the south-west gable. The curving courtyard elevation to the east features the thatched roof extending over the first floor, incorporating a dormer window to the first-floor landing and a long, single-storey porch of heavy-posted timber-framed construction, now part-glazed. Towards the north the roof steps down to a single-storey former servant's range with inserted wide uPVC doors. An open thatched walkway covers the entrance to the courtyard and provides access to the former garage. A small 1½-storey thatched building, formerly a garage, has been converted to provide annexe accommodation. The rear or road-side elevation to the north-east is asymmetrical with random fenestration and a relatively simple braced plank door beneath a thatched canopy. Most windows were replaced with uPVC in the late 20th century.

The interior retains numerous notable features including hardwood floors and skirting, a staircase with twisted balusters, planked doors with simple linen fold decoration and hand-forged ironwork, and panelling to the fire surrounds. Ground-floor rooms contain 1920s stone fireplaces. Some alteration has occurred, including removal of the original servants' suite and its conversion into a large kitchen, and creation of a modern dining room adjacent to the hall with a facsimile stone fireplace and modern ceiling beams. The first floor contains bedrooms and bathrooms; although original fireplaces do not survive, much of the original joinery remains.

The original plans show the architect as W Nicholson, but the commission was taken over by Fred Harrild, who exhibited a drawing of the house at the Royal Academy in 1926. An additional wing with garden rooms was added soon after, and the house appears in its present extended form on the 1933 Ordnance Survey map.

Harrild was a pupil of Sir Edwin Lutyens. The design of The Thatched House anticipated Lutyens's own vernacular cottage-ornée work at Cockington, the Drum Inn of 1934. Harrild specialised in designing vernacular revival cottages and his work embodied the Devon seaside picturesque movement of that era.