37, Fore Street

No. 37 Fore Street is a house that dates from the 17th century or earlier, with modifications made in the 19th and 20th centuries. It is constructed of colourwashed rendered cob and has an asbestos slate roof, which was formerly thatched. There are stacks at the rear and at the right end. Originally, it was built as one unit with April Cottage on the left, but later alterations have obscured the original layout. The house is two rooms wide, featuring a central entrance that leads into a stair hall and a passage to the right. To the left is a larger room heated by a fireplace in the rear right corner, while the narrower room on the right is divided into a rear service room and a front room heated from the right end stack. There is a thick cross wall at the right end of the left-hand room.

The building has two storeys and presents a symmetrical front with two windows, featuring regular fenestration of 2-light casements with three panes per light. The central door is a 20th-century addition and is sheltered by a trellis porch. The interior was not fully accessible at the time of the survey in 1986, but the roof trusses are jointed crucks. Some of the feet of the principal rafters have been lightly plastered over, making it difficult to see the pegging, although the right-hand truss appears to be face-pegged. It is possible that the roof is late medieval, suggesting that the building may have been an open hall house from the early 16th century, though there is no visible evidence of smoke-blackening to confirm this. This house and April Cottage were formerly known as Town Court and are likely part of a town farm, with No. 39 on the right being a converted barn. The property features an attractive front elevation and is situated in an area that reflects the ancient street pattern of Kingsteignton.