British Legion Hall

CHAGFORD HIGH STREET, (south side), SX 7087 Chagford 6/114 British Legion Hall (formerly St Catherines 20.2.52 Guild Hall) GV II*

British Legion Hall, former church house and was school and poorhouse in C19. Late C16-early C17, refurbished in 1709 according to date plaque (possibly after late C17 fire of Chagford), internally altered in late C19-early C20. Coursed blocks of granite ashlar with much granite stone rubble patching to rear; granite stacks, the original 1 with a granite ashlar chimney shaft; thatch roof, slate to outshots. Plan and development: the hall is built along the street and set back a little from it, facing north-east. It is now open to the roof from end to end. It has an original end stack at the left (south-east) end and there is an inserted rear corner stack at the right end. There was formerly a through passage right of centre and originally an external first floor doorway. The first floor structure has been removed . Secondary rear outshots. Exterior: regular but not symmetrical 4-window front. All except the 2-light version blocking the first floor doorway are original granite 3-light windows with ovolo-moulded mullions. All have central iron casements. Some contain rectangular, others diamond, panes of leaded glass. The ground floor windows have hoodmoulds with relieving arches over. The front doorway is right of centre; granite Tudor arch with hollow-chamfered surround and sunken spandrels containing an old plank door with studded coverstrips. This doorway is original but some blocking immediately to right suggests that it has been moved for the sake of regularity. It is now set directly below the blocked first floor doorway. A shield-shaped plaque set high on the wall between the first floor left windows bears the date 1709. Roof runs across the front between the adjoining buildings. Secondary outshots across the rear and although most of the first floor windows appear to occupy original embrasures they now contain C20 casements without glazing bars. Interior: is the result of a late C19-early C20 modernisation when the first floor structure and the internal partitions were removed. Fireplaces both have chimneypieces and grates of that date. The roof is not accessible although the feet of straight principals show suggesting A-frame trusses; probably associated with the 1709 refurbishment. This building has an exceptionally attractive granite facade and forms a group with other listed buildings opposite the Church of St Michael (q.v.), particularly its neighbour The Three Crowns (q.v.). The Guild House of St Catherine was founded here in 1200. This building looks as though it was built as a church house. According to the Charity Commissioners report of 1876 the ground floor was then used as a poor house and the first floor was a school. Source. Devon SMR.

Listing NGR: SX7008187491