Halsdon House

Halsdon House is a former manor house of late 17th-century date with early 18th-century and 19th-century additions, possibly incorporating elements of an even earlier structure. The walls are mainly rendered rubble, except for the front which is constructed of small dressed stone blocks. The main block has a hipped slate roof, while the right-hand wing is gable-ended. Two rendered axial stacks serve the main range, and one at the gable-end of the right-hand wing has a projecting rendered rubble base with rendered shaft. Two rendered lateral stacks are positioned at the rear, one with a large rubble base.

According to Burke, writing in 1853, the house was "a very ancient mansion" which "about 200 years ago it was rebuilt in a plain style by Philip Furse Esq", the Furses having held the estate since 1680. This supports a late 17th-century date, corroborated by the outward appearance of the main range and the late 17th-century panelling in one of its rooms. However, a two-room wing set back and extending from the right-hand end contains sections of earlier 17th-century panelling, though it remains unclear whether this represents survival of the earlier house or simply the re-use of material when this range was constructed.

The main part of the house consists of two equal-sized rooms heated by fireplaces at the rear, separated by a central hall which extends rearward into a small wing for the staircase. Either side of the stairs is a further rear wing, probably for service purposes. Built out and extending along the rear of these wings is a narrow corridor. A single-storey, probably 19th-century conservatory extension is located at the left-hand end. Various 19th-century service additions have been made at the rear of both principal ranges, including a kitchen. The front is probably an early 19th-century addition or modification of the original.

The exterior is two storeys. The front is symmetrical with three bays, featuring large two-storey canted bay windows to either side and a central pediment. Stone parapets flank the pediment, apparently interrupted by it as it breaks forward slightly with a modillion cornice to either side. The bay windows contain large early 19th-century marginal glazed sashes. A balustraded flat-roofed porch with arches at front and sides and corner pilasters precedes the entrance. An early 19th-century marginal glazed sash window occupies the first floor above the porch. Contemporary double eight-panelled doors are partly glazed. Set back from the right-hand end, a symmetrical three-window wing extends to the right, featuring later 19th-century nine-pane sashes on the first floor and early 19th-century tripartite twenty-pane sashes below. A central six-panel door with stone pediment above and doorhood supported on brackets gives access. A modillion cornice runs below the eaves. A 19th-century conservatory addition exists at the left-hand end, with a single-storey service range behind it. Another range behind and parallel to the right-hand wing has a timber belfry. The original or early 19th-century arched sash stair window survives to the central hipped wing behind the main range. A small rear courtyard is formed by the later additions.

The interior features an entrance hall with an arch at the rear to either side of the stairs. The right-hand room of the main range contains late 17th-century bolection moulded panelling and an 18th-century chimneypiece with central decorative panel to the frieze. The left-hand room has an ornate 18th-century chimneypiece with trailing flower motif to the central panel and egg and dart surround. The end room of the right-hand wing contains sections of 17th-century panelling and an ornately carved eaved wooden chimneypiece which formerly had a carved wooden overmantle but now retains only a carved figure to either side above it. The architrave to the door is similarly carved. On the first floor, various simple 18th-century chimneypieces survive. The staircase is probably early 18th-century, with a closed string, stick balusters, and column newels. The roof structure, where visible, appears to be of 18th or early 19th-century construction.

Late 17th-century houses of this quality are fairly unusual in Devon, and although this example exhibits considerable evidence of 18th and early 19th-century remodelling, these do not diminish its interest. The poet and writer William Cay (1832–90) lived here for a time.