High House

KENTON KENTON SX 98 SE

6/240 High House

• II

House, formerly dower house to Powderham Castle (information from owner). C18 or earlier, remodelled and extended in the early C19 when a cross-wing was added at the right end; truncated at the left end in the 1950s. Colourwashed plastered cob and stone rubble. C19 crosswing brick; 2-span slate roof, gabled at end of main range, hipped at front of wing; end stacks and rear lateral stack to main range, stack to wing. Plan: Double depth main range, 2 rooms wide with an entrance at the left end into a spine corridor containing the stair, principal rooms to the front, rear left kitchen and rear centre parlour, early C19 1-room plan crosswing providing an additional principal room. Swete's watercolour of 1799 shows the house prior to the crosswing addition; internal detail suggests that the house was L plan by the C18 but the core of the main block may be an earlier 2-room and cross passage plan house. The C19 crosswing is probably contemporary with the verandah which extends along the garden front and return to the left. In the 1950s the left end was truncated retaining part of the old end wall and the verandah as the end wall to a small, enclosed courtyard. Exterior: 2 storeys. Asymmetrical 3:2 window front (garden) elevation, the 2 windows to the crosswing, the 3 window main range symmetrical with an early C19 5-bay verandah with a slate roof on the columns. 4 early C19 French windows with margin glazing, blocked recess in centre; 3 first floor 12-pane sashes with shutters. The wing has 2 larger early C19 12-pane sashes with shutters to the first floor and similar ground floor sashes without shutters. On the left return the courtyard wall (formerly the end wall of the house) retains the early C19 5-bay verandah. The present left end wall has a re-sited C19 panelled front door; two 12-pane first floor sashes and one ground floor C20 metal-framed window. The rear elevation has 3 first floor 12-pane sashes with shutters and a ground floor bay window, probably Edwardian, lighting the parlour. Interior: The 2 principal rooms on the front have been converted into one room. Good survival of joinery including shutters, a stick baluster stair with a turned newel post and pretty Georgian panelling to the parlour; C19 chimney-pieces. Information about the history of the house including the 1950s plans, in the possession of the owner. The historian, Polwhele, rented the house when he was living at Kenton (information from former owner). Swete, J.,'Picturesque sketches of Devon' volume 18 (1799), held in Devon Record Office.

Listing NGR: SX9571483633