Chardstock Court

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Cherdestok; Chirdestoke

In the civil parish of Chardstock. In the historic county of Dorset (Modern Authority of Devon, 1974 county of Devon).

Former manor house of the Bishops of Salisbury. Fabric of early C14 origin, refashioned in C15/16. Fell into disrepair in C20 and interior is said to have been largely gutted and a new roof added. Stone rubble with freestone dressings. Tiled roofs with coped gable ends. Two storeys. W-shaped on plan. The original south-east wing has various medieval fragments including cusped arch two light mullion window, various re-used arched window heads and chamfered stone door frames. One doorway on north side has four centred arch with a cinquefoil blocked circular window in gable above and a fragment of a shield in apex above that. The stair tower on the north side has a quatrefoil window with a two centred arch hood mould. The north-west wing also with a new roof, two storeys, three bays, entirely refenestrated in mid C20. The south-west wing is an entirely C20 rebuild. Interior is said to have been gutted in C20 but in former list (dated 1960) the following interior features were referred to: "Newel staircase, various plank and muntin partitions, moulded ceiling beams and old fireplaces". A detached range destroyed in circa 1930 had a C15 open timber roof. It was the manor house of the Bishops of Salisbury. (Images of England)
Licensed in 1337 and licence ratified in 1377. Parish transferred to Devon in 1896.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is ST30880435

Air Photo from Air Photo and general mapping	1st edition OS Map from Mid to late 19th century maps
Modern Map from Landscape form and features	Modern Map from General location and route planning
Geograph British Isles occasionally has photos of the site and will usually give an idea of the surrounding landscape.

Sources of information, references and further reading

This site's English Heritage (PastScape) Defra or Monument number is 191512
Further information may be available from the holder of the county Historic Environment Record. In particular 'grey' literature, such as watching brief reports, held by H.E.R.s is often poorly referenced and is unlikely to be recorded in this website, or elsewhere.

• Books
  • Emery, Anthony, 2006, Greater Medieval Houses Vol3 (Cambridge) p627-9
    Wood, P.J. and Carter, R.W., 1999, A History of the Parish of Chardstock (Privately published by P. J. Wood, Chard)
    Thompson, M.W., 1998, Medieval bishops' houses in England and Wales (Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing) p167, 168, 184
    Pevsner, N. (Revised by Cherry, Bridget), 1989, The Buildings of England: Devon (London, Penguin) p253
    Hoskins, W.G., 1954, A New Survey of England: Devon (London: Collins) p362
    Pevsner, Nikolaus, 1952, Buildings of England: South Devon p77
    Hutchins, J., 1863, The History and Antiquities of the County of Dorset (3rd edition, corrected, augmented and improved by W. Shipp and J. Whitworth Hodson. Westminster: John Bowyer Nichols and Sons) Vol3 p82
    Turner, T.H. and Parker, J.H., 1859, Some account of Domestic Architecture in England (Oxford) Vol3 pt2 p411
• Primary (Medieval documents or transcriptions of such documents - This section is far from complete and the secondary sources should be consulted for full references.)
  • Calendar of Patent Rolls (1334-38) p498
    Calendar of Patent Rolls (1377-81) p9, 10
• Other sources, 'grey' literature, unpublished works, etc. (Theses, in-house reports and other such)
  • Payne, Naomi, 2003, The medieval residences of the bishops of Bath and Wells, and Salisbury (PhD Thesis University of Bristol) p157-64 [available via http://ethos.bl.uk ]