Chambercombe Manor, Tudor manor in Ilfracombe, United Kingdom
Chambercombe Manor is an English country house in Ilfracombe, Devon, with three rooms arranged around a cross passage and a 17th-century cross range added at a later date. The grounds also include agricultural buildings, and the house is listed at Grade II* for its architectural interest.
The earliest known written record of the property dates to 1439, when Bishop Edmund Lacy granted permission for private worship at the site. The 17th century brought significant changes to the building, including the addition of the cross range that still defines its shape today.
The Harper family coat of arms is still visible in the plaster overmantel of a first-floor bedroom, a rare survival of heraldic decoration in a house of this size. This kind of detail lets visitors connect directly with the families who once lived here.
The property has been in private ownership since 2023 and restoration work is ongoing, so visits must be arranged in advance. Before making the journey, it is worth checking which parts of the house are currently open and what conditions apply.
Although a document from 1439 mentions the site, archaeological work shows the standing building was actually constructed in the late 15th or early 16th century. The physical fabric of the house is therefore younger than the written record would suggest.
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