31, New Street

SX 7087 6/152

CHAGFORD NEW STREET, Chagford No 31

GV II

House and former smithy. Early C16 with major later C16 and C17 improvements, C19 smithy, and a major modernisation of circa 1985. Plastered walls said to be granite stone rubble but coursed granite ashlar shows on the inside here and there; granite stacks with granite stone ashlar chimney shafts; slate roof (formerly thatch). Plan and development: 3-room-and-through-passage plan house built along the street and facing east. Small unheated inner room at the right (northern) end. Both hall and service end rooms have axial stacks backing onto either side of the passage. The original hall house was open to the roof from end to end, divided by low partitions and heated by an open hearth fire. Through the later C16 and C17 the house was progressively floored over leaving the hall till last. A fireplace was inserted into the hall probably in the late C16. The service end room fireplace was inserted in the C19. The site of the original stair or stairs is not known. House now 2 storeys with attics and has secondary outshots across the rear which include a C19 smithy. Exterior: irregular 4-window front of mostly late C19 and C20 horned 4-pane sashes, that to the hall a triparitite sash. C20 fixed pane windows without glazing bars at the right (inner room) end. Front passage doorway is left of centre and contains a late C19 - early C20 plank door. Roof butts those of its neighbours each end and has attic roof lights to the rear. Interior was extensively refurbished circa 1985. Nevertheless something of its development still remains. The oldest feature apparent is the remains of the original 4-bay roof. All the trusses are raised true crucks. Only one survives intact. It has a cranked collar and mortices for threaded purlins. All are smoke- blackened indicating that the original house was open to the roof from end to end, divided by low partitions and heated by an open hearth fire. The granite ashlar partition between hall and inner room may be one of the original partitions. The inner room was probably the first to be floored over but the ceiling was replaced circa 1985. Formerly it comprised a series of axial joists which projected into the hall with rounded ends and carried the jetted chamber into the hall. The hall stack was probably inserted in the late C16 and it contains an enormous fireplace with a long granite ashlar lintel and chamfered surround. (It has since been reduced in width with a side oven). The granite relieving arch over now appears on the first floor. The hall ceiling was also replaced circa 1985 except for a roughly finished beam across the front of the chimney breast. C19 granite fireplace in service end room and no carpentry details shows here. The outshot to rear of the hall still contains the C19 smithy furnace. No. 31 New Street is one of an interesting group of listed buildings along the west side of the street.

Listing NGR: SX7010787301