This article needs to be updated. The reason given is: See lead explanation: This article is based on the work of Bridie (1955), which has however been superseded as the standard work of reference on the architectural history of the building by the unpublished Exeter Archaeology Report of 2008 produced for the National Trust. This report draws on new evidence gained from the recently discovered survey of 1559 made by Sir William Petre, which lists each main room of the then existing house together with its contents. From this evidence a conjectural ground plan of the house pre-1785 was recently produced by Roger Waterhouse.. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(July 2022)
Old Shute House, near Colyton, Devon. Bird's eye view from west, painted prior to partial demolition of 1785. The buildings to the east (left) of the tall slender octagonal tower adjacent to the porch were demolished in 1785 by Sir John de la Pole, 6th Baronet (1757–1799) and the driveway from the gatehouse was built over their former location southwards 1/2 mile to New Shute House built by him 1787–89. St Michael's Church, Shute parish, is visible to the east (left)
Old Shute House (known as Shute Barton between about 1789 and the 20th century), located at Shute, near Colyton, Axminster, Devon, is the remnant of a mediaevalmanor house with Tudor additions, under the ownership of the National Trust. It was given a Grade I listing on 14 December 1955.[1] It is one of the most important non-fortified manor houses of the Middle Ages still in existence. It was built about 1380 as a hall house and was greatly expanded in the late 16th century and partly demolished in 1785. The original 14th-century house survives, although much altered.
This article is based on the work of Bridie (1955), which has however been superseded as the standard work of reference on the architectural history of the building by the unpublished Exeter Archaeology Report of 2008 produced for the National Trust.[2] This report draws on new evidence gained from the recently discovered survey of 1559 made by Sir William Petre, which lists each main room of the then existing house together with its contents. From this evidence a conjectural ground plan of the house pre-1785 was recently produced by Roger Waterhouse.
Old Shute House, viewed from north, showing the addition (to the left with turret, north end facing viewer) built by Sir William Pole the Antiquary (1561–1635) in circa 1587–1600. The range behind to the right running perpendicular, i.e. to the west, is the original great hall of 1380. The now demolished porch stood adjacent on the east (left) of the turret, on the present driveway which leads onwards 1/2 mile to the south to New Shute House[3]Old Shute House, Devon, viewed from SE. The wall on the east (right) now shored up with buttresses formed the western wall of the 16th-century additions demolished in 1785
Left: view drawn before 1785, entitled "A view of the Garden Front of Shute House", showing the south facade of the pre-demolition house; right: the same view today. The part to the west (left) of the protruding rectangular turret (1490–1501), is the original hall house built around 1380. The part demolished in 1785 stood to the east (right) where now runs the driveway to New Shute House
Left: Old Shute House, view of northern facade of the original Great Hall of 1380. The original entrance door remains in the centre of the building, flanked on either side by a now partially blocked-up 12 ft pointed arched gothic window. All the windows now existing were later additions as the two floors were added successively. The small low roofed building to the west (right) is an addition c. 1475, variously termed the "Oratory" (Bridie), "Steward's Room" (Pole-Carew[4]) or "Entrance Block" (Pevsner). The holes in the stonework above the door are either "putlog holes (Bridie) or "pigeon holes" (Pole-Carew[5]); right: Reconstruction of appearance from same viewpoint of the newly built manor house in 1380
Elizabethan gatehouse of Old Shute House, built c. 1561–1587 by William Pole, Esq., (1515–1587), who had purchased a lease of the manor from Sir William Petre. The side pavilions and linking walls are later additions. The armorials of Pole are sculpted in stone on both front and rear faces of the gatehouse, and a wooded painted heraldic shield with the Pole arms exists on the ceiling of the gateway; right:"Gateway of Old Shute House", lithograph c. 1840 by William Spreat of Exeter
^Cooper, Nicholas; Mannez, Pru; Blaylock, Stuart, Shute Barton, Devon: Historic Building Analysis and Archaeological Survey 2008, Exeter Archaeology Report no. 08.80, produced for the National Trust
^Per Bridie, M.F., Thye Story of Shute, Axminster, 1955
