Copplestone: Cross and Historic House Details

Copplestone has a historic Cross and several houses with different architectural details; a named walking route starts in the village. These topics offer different starting points for planning your trip: the Cross represents historic ornamentation, the houses showcase specific architectural features, and the walk provides a route that begins in Copplestone.

Copplestone Cross and its interlace ornamentation

Copplestone Cross has been documented since the 10th century; its interlace ornamentation is unique in Devon. Its dating and design offer two different perspectives on the same monument: one provides an early historical reference, while the other identifies a distinctive feature of its form. The Cross stands in the village of Copplestone at a busy road junction on the A377. Thus, a historical reference and a specific road location come together in the same place.

Architectural details of the houses

Number 1 Cross Cottages is a house built around 1840 from rendered rubble stone or cob, with a slate roof. “Around 1840” is an approximate date. It also has windows with Gothic Revival glazing bar patterns and fittings from the mid-19th century. These details can be considered on several levels: rubble stone or cob identifies the building material, the slate roof the roof covering, and the windows and fittings add specific design features to the description. The approximate construction date and the mid-century fittings are two distinct time references.

Number 2 Cross Cottages is a Grade II listed house that formerly consisted of two cottages. The focus here differs from Number 1: the Grade II listing is a classification, while the former division into two cottages describes the building's history. Number 1 is notable for its construction date and specific building elements; Number 2 for its listing and former layout.

Brandirons Corner Cottage adds a look at the roof structure to these architectural details. The house has renewed rafters but retains its principal roof trusses and purlins. The terms refer to different components: rafters run at an angle and support the roof covering; purlins support the rafters lengthwise, while roof trusses support the roof structure. It is therefore important to distinguish renewal from retention when making a comparison: the rafters were renewed, while the principal roof trusses and purlins were retained. This shows a combination of renewed and preserved components, rather than categorising the roof as simply old or new.

Walking route from Copplestone

The article “Tom's Walks 17: Copplestone to New Buildings”, published on 25 March 2022, names the Bewsley Hill car park in Copplestone as the starting point. The title links Copplestone with New Buildings and gives the walk a clearly named location. If you include this walking route in your trip plans, check local parking options before setting off. The walking route addresses a different planning question from the house details: it identifies the starting point of a route, while the houses can be distinguished by their construction dates and building elements.

Discover more destinations: Clyst Saint Mary, Colyton, Ashprington, Buckland Brewer, Little Torrington, Westward Ho, Culmstock, Bradninch

For the broader travel overview: Devon.