West View

BARNSTAPLE

SS5533 THE STRAND 684-1/7/249 (North East side) 31/08/88 West View

GV II

House and shop. Probably C17 or earlier; possibly enlarged in C18. Solid, roughcast walls, apparently of stone rubble. Roof of front range slated; rear ranges pantiled. No chimney visible from street. Plan consists of 3 single-depth ranges, interior arrangmement considerably altered. 2 storeys. 1-window range, remodelled late C19 or early C20. Shop windows in ground storey; canted bay window, off-centre to right, in upper storey. Right-hand side wall (exposed to side passage) has early or mid C19 sashes in middle range; an 8-paned sash in ground storey, 2 sashes with 4 full panes and marginal quarter panes in upper storey. INTERIOR: has few exposed features in ground storey: a heavy, plain upper-floor beam in rear room, a fireplace with C19 marble surround and coloured patterned tiles in right-hand rear corner of middle range. Upper floor and roof structure not inspected. HISTORICAL NOTE: old photographs show a chimney on right-hand gable of front range. Front had 2 ordinary sash windows in upper storey. Owner says his title deeds, dating back to Charles II, describe the building as a former Customs House, although John Wood's map of 1843 shows that a building a little further south was then used for this purpose. The modest scale of this building in a part of town much rebuilt in C18 and C19, and the great thickness of the walls separating the ranges, suggests that this is a building of C17 or earlier. It is likely to have features of interest concealed under plaster, and possibly an early roof structure. (Wood J: Map of Barnstaple: 1843-).

Listing NGR: SS5575033109