Durant Arms Public House

ASHPRINGTON Durant Arms Public SX85NW House 6/21

GV II

Public House in estate village. Formerly known as Ashprington Arms. Mid Cl9 remodelling or rebuilding of an earlier building. Rendered stone rubble, the left hand cross-wing has painted exposed stone rubble walls. Slate roof with gable ends and deep eaves; the right hand end has plain bargeboards and a pendant at the apex and the left hand cross-wing and one of the 2 dormers have ornate wooden bargeboards also with pendants. Left hand gable end stack and an axial stack near the right-hand end have brick shafts. Plan: Although there may be earlier fabric it was totally remodelled if not rebuilt entirely in the mid C19. There is a cross-wing to the left with a side stack which is said to have been the innkeepers accommodation;an entrance into a stairhall at the centre and 2 rooms to the right heated from back-to- back fireplaces in an axial stack, the smaller right hand end room is said to have been a cider bar and the larger room was also a bar. The cross-wing was originally partitioned axially and there is an internal window from the rear room to the entrance hall. In the C20 this axial partition was removed and the wing with the outshut on the left had side became the bars and the 2 right hand rooms have become the publican's private accommodation. Exterior: 2 storeys. Asymmetrical 4 window range with projecting cross-wing to left with C19 moulded wooden canted bay window on ground floor with diamond leaded panes and slate hipped roof, and a C19 2-light window above with moulded wooden frame with diamond leaded panes, the left hand light has iron frame casement, and a bracketed moulded sill. Similar casements in the main range to the right except that the left hand of the ground floor is of 3 lights and the left hand of the two first floor windows which are in half dormers is a C20 replacement. Plank door under the open porch in the angle with the left hand cross-wing; the porch has a hipped slate roof and chamfered timber posts with arched braces. A single storey lean-to on the left hand side of the cross-wing has a hipped roof and plank door on the front with a diamond-paned 2-light casement to its left. Interior: retains some of its Cl9 joinery including panelled doors and a dog-leg staircase with steel balusters, turned newel, moulded had rail and closed string. A C19 16-pane sash window inside the entrance hall to a back room is said to have been where wages and rents were paid. Note: There is an early C19 painting (a photograph of which is in the possession of the present occupant) which depicts a building on this site approximately the same shape as the existing building. It is said that the building was built in 1725 according to the deeds. Included for group value.

Listing NGR: SX8188657085