Description

SX 86 NE ABBOTSKERSWELL MAIN STREET
Abbotskerswell
3/23 Church House
-
23.8.55
GV II
Church house used as village hall. Mid C16 restored in 1913-14. Limestone rubble
walls and gable ended slate roof on chamfered stone cornice. 3 rubble stacks; the
left-hand gable stack is corbelled and the right-hand gable stack projects.
Projecting lateral stack at front.
Probably 2 room plan originally from positions of stacks - one larger room heated by
lateral stack and smaller room heated by gable stack. Newel stairs in larger room
on opposite wall to fireplace. Probably one room on first floor heated by corbelled
gable end stack. Access by external stone staircase at rear as well as newel stairs
on the same wall.
2 storeys. Asymmetrical 4 window front of 2, 3 and 4 light early C20 wooden
mullions with 4 centred arched heads and 'leaded' panes. Wooden lintels. Wall
projects slightly towards right-hand end and on the ground floor there is original
heavy round-headed chamfered wooden doorframe. To its left is a similar early C20
fascimile doorway which is narrorwer. The chimney projects to left of centre. C19
outshut against right gable end.
Interior: Good quality beamed ceiling to ground floor rooms of chamfered cross
beams with hollow step stops and similarly decorated joists. Some beams rest on
chamfered wood corbels. Half beam at right-hand gable end appears to have pyramid
stops. Fireplaces are blocked. The roof timbers date from the early C20
restoration and consists of common rafters exposed upto collar height and chamfered.
Original square-headed wooden doorframe to newel stairs survives on first floor,
chamfered with masons's mitres. Stone newel stairs.
Documentary evidence relates that on 24th November 1542 the Abbot of Sherbourne gave
to "our parish Church of Kerswell Abbot" a parcel of land on which is built the
church house.
Despite the C20 restoration, this church house remains virtually unaltered in form,
preserving some good quality internal features, with more possibly concealed, and is
a good example of its kind occupying a very prominent position in the village
centre.
Source Devon Sites and Monuments Register.

Listing NGR: SX8570368753

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26389586

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Sussex: East with Brighton and Hove (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Cornwall (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of Historic Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
• 
  Warwickshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects, Supplement 2014
• 
  Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius (Penguin Art & Architecture)