Rudge House

Rudge House (Nos 10 and 11)

Two cottages, formerly a single house, dating from the late 16th to early 17th century with a possibly earlier core. The building was modernised in the late 19th century, probably when it was converted into two or three cottages.

The construction is mixed: part is exposed coursed blocks of local red sandstone ashlar, while the remainder is plastered cob on stone rubble footings. Red sandstone ashlar stacks and chimney-shafts rise from the building, topped with 19th and 20th century brick. The roof is currently covered with corrugated asbestos, though it was formerly thatched.

The original plan was a three-room-and-through-passage layout facing east. No 10, at the south end, occupies the former inner room parlour and hall, both of which have projecting front lateral stacks. No 11, Rudge House, occupies the former passage and service end kitchen, the latter with a projecting gable-end stack. The rear of the passage is now blocked by a staircase. The building appears to be a single phase construction, though the interior of No 10 was not available for inspection at survey.

The structure is two storeys with attics and secondary service outshots to the rear of Rudge House. The cottages present a particularly fine front for Devon. No 10, comprising the hall and inner room, is constructed in ashlar stone with both stacks showing weathered offsets. The overall front is irregular, with four windows. All first floor windows are 17th century oak-framed: at the left end a two-light window with ovolo-moulded mullion; left of centre a three-light window with chamfered mullions; right of centre (above the passage doorway) a late 17th century three-light flat-faced mullion window; and at the right a two-light window with chamfered mullion. The middle two windows contain rectangular panes of leaded glass, some very old and tinged green. Both ground floor windows are 20th century casements with glazing bars.

The passage front doorway into Rudge House is right of centre and retains its original oak doorframe, a Tudor arch with moulded surround and carved spandrels. The plank door with coverstrips and plain wrought iron strap hinges is probably original. The doorway to No 10 at the left end was inserted in the late 19th century and contains a part-glazed plank door beneath an attractive gabled hood of that date.

The roof is gable-ended.

In No 11, Rudge House, most of the carpentry detail is original. The former service end kitchen features soffit-chamfered and step-stopped crossbeams. The fireplace is partly blocked, and a later fireplace has cut through the oak lintel, though the remaining piece is now exposed. The first floor chamber has a soffit-chamfered crossbeam. The full-height crosswall on the lower passage side is exposed in the attic as a truss closed with close-studded oak framing. The roof over the kitchen is carried on a side-pegged jointed cruck truss which, due to deterioration at its base, was noted as requiring replacement at the time of survey in March 1987. No 10 was not available for inspection but is reported to have similar, probably higher quality, carpentry detail, though much of it is obscured by 19th century plaster.

These cottages represent an attractive and well-preserved late 16th to early 17th century house.