Description

PLYMTREE
ST 00 SE
3/137 Agricultural outbuildings
- adjoining to north of Woodbeer
Court
GV II*

A group of agricultural outbuildings. Early C18, maybe in 2 phases, some minor C19
and C20 alterations and repairs. Flemish bond brick including burnt headers near to
the farmhouse, some on local stone rubble footings; slate and corrugaged iron roof,
probably thatch originally.
Plan: a group of largely contemporary farmbuildings and outbuildings built to
accompany a major refurbishment of Woodbeer Court (q.v). They completed a courtyard
to rear of the house. In the early C18 a second rear wing was added to the house.
The first part was domestic and included in the house. However, behind it the wing
continues as the west wing of the courtyard which contains a cellar or store with a
granary above. It is separated from the house by a carriageway. The north side of
the courtyard is completed by a former stable with hayloft over. The north wing
continues and projects westward, first with a cider house, then as a shippon (now
pighouse) on a slightly different alignment and ends with a small barn which has
been made in the truncated end of the range.
Exterior: the original doorways and windows are consistent in style throughout.
They have low segmental brick arches over. Changes to the original fabric are
generally easily recognized since they employ hard machine brick. Most of the
joinery detail appears to have been replaced but some may be C18. The carriageway
through the west wing is a flat-headed arch and the oak lintel on the courtyard side
is chamfered and scroll stopped. The doorway in the carriageway is probably
original; a plain unchamfered frame contains a large plank door which includes a
wicket with a segmental arch head. An external flight of stone steps leads from the
courtyard to the stable hayloft. All the doorways in the cider house and shippon
section have been altered. The roofs are gable-ended.
Interior: the carpentry detail throughout is plain but sturdy using roughly-
chamfered crossbeams and A-frame trusses with pegged and spiked lap-jointed collars.
The cider house contains the remains of the press.
These outbuildings represent a good group of early C18 farmbuildings in their own
right. The attractive local brick is early for Devon. However their intimate and
complimentary relationship with the well-preserved small mansion of Woodbeer Court
(q.v) gives them added importance.
Source: the architects, Redfern, Gilpin, and Riley of Exeter, have measured plans
and elevations (1986).

Listing NGR: ST0657004019

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17546765

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

• 
  Lancashire: Liverpool and the South-West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas and Monuments
• 
  Somerset: South and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Lancashire: Manchester and the South-East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair by Hunt. Roger ( 2008 ) Hardcover
• 
  Kent: West and the Weald: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)