The Old Post Office

DUNCHIDEOCK SX 88 NE

3/13 The Old Post Office

• II

House. Formerly used as a schoolroom, Post Office and Cobbler's shop. C17 origins with C19 and probably later additions, C20 renovations. Cob above stone rubble, whitewashed and rendered; thatched roof gabled at left end of main range and hipped at right end where it is carried down as a verandah on rustic posts; the verandah continues round the right hand and centre of the front elevation. A single-storey addition at the left end is slightly set-back with a thatched roof, half-hipped at the left end. Brick stack at left end of main range, axial stack with paired brick shafts. Single-depth plan, the C17 core extending fron the left hand of the main range to the axial stack. This section of the house may have been a two room plan C17 house with heated rooms on either side of a wide central passage with a stair to the rear. In the circa early C19 a one room plan extension was added at the right end. This is said to have been used as a purpose built schoolroom. A 1 room plan single-storey extension was added at the left end. C20 renovations have included some refenestration. 2 storeys. 2 + 4 window front with the thatch carried down as a catslide roof to a verandah on posts, C20 front door to left of centre leading into the passage. The main range has C20 fenestration of 2-light casements with square leaded panes, 4 windows to the ground floor, 2 to the first floor, the right hand first floor window is a raking dormer in the thatch. The former Post Office adjoining at the left end has a central doorway with timber small-pane casements on either side. Interior: Several features of interest including, in the left hand room of the main range, an open fireplace with brecchia jambs (lintel replaced), a C17 chamfered cross beam with ogee stops and exposed joists. An C18 iron casement with shutters and square leaded panes survives. The right hand heated room has a similar cross beam with one ogee stop visible and an open fireplace with a chamfered elm lintel with ogee stops. The 3 roof trusses above these rooms are C17 collar rafter with straight principal rafters, the collars halved and lap dovetailed into the principals which are mortised at the apex, original rafters and battens intact. The left hand partition of the entrance passage rises as a plastered partition in the roofspace. There is evidence that the ceiling of the right hand room has been lowered. The first floor ceiling of the C19 right hand addition is a plaster groin vault, unusually elaborate for a schoolroom. A mid to late C17 house with an interesting history of addition and re-use.

Listing NGR: SX8797587389