Tappers Cottage

Tappers Cottage is a small house of early 17th century or earlier date, with a rear wing likely originating as an 18th century outbuilding that was later converted to expand the house. The walls are whitewashed cob on stone rubble footings, and the roof is thatched, with a hipped section at the left end and a gabled section at the right end, where it adjoins the adjacent house. An axial stack with a rendered shaft is present. The house’s plan is unusually compact given the quality of its detailing, exhibiting an “L” shape with a two-room and cross-passage arrangement. The hall is located to the left, with the hall stack backing onto the passage, and a newel stair positioned adjacent to the hall stack. A small, unheated room is located at the lower (right) end. Decorative plasterwork remains on the first floor, suggesting a chamber of high status. It is possible the house originated as a late medieval open hall, though this remains speculative without access to the roof apex. The rear right wing, originally two rooms, appears to be a converted agricultural building.

The asymmetrical front facade features a two-window arrangement. The eaves of the thatch project significantly over the first-floor windows. A 20th century timber door is centrally positioned to the right, with 20th century metal-framed casement windows set within enlarged embrasures on the ground floor. A small 17th century stair window with diamond-leaded panes is located to the left of the front door. Two 17th century mullioned windows with three lights are present on the first floor; these are internally chamfered with diamond-leaded panes and ornamental leading in the window heads.

Inside, remnants of a plank and muntin screen, incomplete at the rear, exist at the lower side of the passage, and a section of oak screen is present at the higher side. The hall features good exposed carpentry, including chamfered, stop-chamfered spine beams with run-out stops and exposed joists, some of which are scratch moulded. An open fireplace with a chamfered, bar-stopped lintel is present. The unheated lower end room contains a Georgian china cupboard built into the thickness of the wall. The first-floor room over the hall retains sections of a decorated plaster ceiling, similar in character to the plasterwork at Yarner in Combeinteignhead. Initials "I,I and M" are scratched into one of the window panes. Another pane of glass in the window above the lower end room displays the inscription "William and Margaret Martyn, dated 1786." One pane in the first-floor window has "The Prisoners of Exeter Castle 86", presumably referencing 1786. The roof truss over the hall is a side-pegged jointed cruck and may be medieval. The truss over the lower end has straight principal rafters which may be pegged to wall posts. The house is an attractive example of traditional construction with pleasant interior features.