Church House

SS 4837-4937 BRAUNTON CHURCH STREET (west side) Braunton 11/69 Church House formerly listed as - Old Parish Room (or Challoner's 25.2.65 School)

GV II*

Church house, now museum with office over. Probably C16 and apparently altered in C18 when it became Challoner's School. Whitewashed rubble with gable-ended rag slate roof and gabled slated pentice over 2 flights of external stone steps to first floor entrance. Rectangular plan. 2 storeys. 5 window front bay. 2 C19 brick stacks offset on west side and at south gable end both reduced in height. South end has large gateway opening with chamfered timber beam over and gates of 2 leaves To right are 4 wide blocked openings with timber lintels formerly open shambles. Second from left has inserted wooden 2-light casement ferrimenta. Above are 5 wooden 2-light casements. 2 to left are replacements and have small diamond- leaded panes, those to right all have diamond-leaded panes and external ferrimenta. The centre opening of the 3 is square-headed. Those to each side are C16 4-centred arches and hollow chamfered frames. West facade has a 3-light wooden casement (12 panes each light) above curving timber beam to gateway. To left are two replacement 2-light wood casements with diamond-leaded cames. All first floor windows have timber lintels. Below are 3 unevenly spaced windows with deep reveals each with 16-paned metal casements and grill bars. At each corner of the north gable to the main range are 2 dressed quoins below eaves that to east side having angular octofoil to east face and bishops head with mitre on north face. The smaller stone on west side has raised cross on west face and crowned king on north face. In the apex of the gable is a further stone bearing design of cross within a circle. Slate treads on rubble risers at north gable end lead to 4-centred arch wooden doorway with chamfered and stopped jambs and plank door. Pentil is open on gable end with original truss of principals with short curved feet and plain purlins. This is identical to the 4 trusses in the main range with unmoulded principals and plain wall plates.

Listing NGR: SS4894637052