The Old Custom House

DARTMOUTH

SX874510 BAYARDS COVE 673-1/8/30 (West side) 11/12/69 No.4 The Old Custom House

GV II

Formerly known as: No.4 Custom House or Trinity House BAYARDS COVE. House, former Custom House. Built 1737-39 on site of 4 cottages which were acquired by John Seale who erected the new building and leased it to H.M. Customs and Excise; extra storey added c1930, converted to domestic residence c1985. Painted Flemish-bond brick; brick chimneyshafts to front end and rear lateral stacks; slate roof. PLAN: Double-depth plan building, 2 rooms wide with central entrance to passage and rear staircase. Service rooms to rear with rear lateral stack. EXTERIOR: Originally 2 storeys with attics, raised to 3 storeys c1930. Symmetrical 1:3:1-window front, the centre broken forward very slightly under pediment. 16-pane sashes under flat arches at ground-floor level, larger 12-pane sashes under low segmental arches on the first floor, and three 12-pane sashes to C20 added second floor. Large timber central front doorway has double 3-panel door under a plain overlight and timber surround with eared architrave under segmental hood on shaped timber brackets - the date 1739 is painted below. Shallow plat band at second-floor level in place of original eaves cornice. Present deep eaves with plastered soffit to parallel gable-ended roof with front pediment. Lower part of left lead downpipe is original with winged cherub heads on the fixing straps. INTERIOR: Well-preserved. Entrance passage lined with panelling in 2 heights - flat rails and muntins with shallow ovolo mouldings and vertical plank panelling (fragmentary remains of similar panelling first-floor front). Open-well open-string stair with slender turned balusters with blocks, turned newel posts, moulded flat handrail and (early) curtail step. First floor has timber box cornice including deep coving. Late C20 partitions curve round central moulded plaster section of ceiling - hollow rib oval panel around central face in starburst and, around the oval, female heads and fleur-de-lys-like finials. Interesting brick building with many similarities with The Mansion House, No.2 Mansion House Street (qv) built in 1736. Freeman publishes an 1887 photograph of The Custom House, before the third storey was added (see sources). One of a good group of listed buildings on the old quay. (Freeman, Ray: Dartmouth and its Neighbours: Phillimore: 1990-: PL.99; P.139).

Listing NGR: SX8783051024