Nos 3 And 5 High Cross House (3) Including Courtyard Walls And Outbuildings To South And Front Railings

Nos 3 and 5 High Cross House, Sampford Peverell

Two adjoining houses, probably 17th century or earlier in origin, with the front range rebuilt and much of the property remodelled following fire damage in the 1860s. The buildings are constructed of plastered stone rubble and cob with a slate roof; the stone rubble chimneys are finished in 19th and 20th century brick.

The main block has an L-shaped plan with the principal front range containing entrances to Nos 3 and 5 facing the street to the east. A large stack sits at the junction with the rear wing, forming part of No 3. A rear courtyard lies within the angle of the wings, enclosed by a former brewhouse and outbuildings of early 19th century date. To the south of the front block is a walled rectangular yard with an outbuilding on the south-west side, which intrudes into the churchyard.

The main building is two storeys with a deliberately asymmetrical four-window front. The windows are 19th century timber mullion-and-transom design with glazing bars, each with stucco voussoirs above. Both doorways contain 19th century six-panel doors with overlights and panelled reveals, but feature different doorcases. Each end corner of the main front has quoin strips. The roof is gable-ended. The outer south side of the rear block has an irregular four-window front of painted stone-mullioned windows.

Interior of No 5: 18th and 19th century panelled doors and a dog-leg stair with chinoiserie balustrade. No 3 was not inspected.

Subsidiary features include a wall to the right of No 3 with a keyed false stone arch over a central doorway. The brewhouse interior contains a large segmental-arched fireplace with an iron door to a bread oven and a boiler on the left with a copper; stone flag floor; and a boxed beam with an early to mid-19th century three-bay roof.

The courtyard to the right of the main block is enclosed by a tall stone rubble wall. The front wall contains a doorway and the front end of the outbuilding has a first floor window, both with red sandstone ashlar voussoirs and projecting keystones. A narrow strip of ground along the front of the main block is enclosed by 19th century cast iron spear-headed railings with vase-headed standards.