Rear Part Only

This is the rear part of a house that has been converted into a shop, dating from the early to mid 17th century. It features thick rendered walls, likely made of stone or cob, and a slated roof. At the rear, there are two original red brick chimneys set diagonally, which were raised in height during the late 19th century. The building has a one-room plan, measuring 3.9 meters deep and 5.3 meters wide internally. It probably started as a detached back block of a house that faced High Street, which was rebuilt in the late 19th century. Adjacent to it, there is another 19th-century range that is not included in this listing, which fronts the churchyard.

The structure has two storeys, with the upper storey partly within the roof space. The right-hand side wall, which faces a small courtyard behind No. 19 High Street, features 20th-century windows and doors. Inside, there is a heavy old roof truss that has been plastered over. The ceiling beneath the collar-beam has a small moulded cornice that continues around the front wall. The ground storey has been completely altered, and the front wall has been removed. It is likely that early fireplaces, windows, and floor timbers are hidden beneath the plaster.

Detached back blocks are a rare feature in English urban domestic architecture and hold significance, even when the main house has been demolished, particularly when they retain early details, as this one does. Part of the former front of No. 20 is illustrated in the book "Barnstaple Yesterday" by Baxter & Baxter.