The Garage, Gaia House, West Ogwell, Devon - Historic Building Recording and Archaeological Monitoring and Recording

This report presents the results of a historic building recording and archaeological monitoring and recording that were carried out by South West Archaeology Ltd. (SWARCH) for a commercial development at The Garage, Gaia House, West Ogwell, Devon. Gaia House is a 16th century building with possible earlier origins that was redesigned during the Georgian period and again during the 20th century. It is adjacent to the 12th century parish church. In 2010 SWARCH carried out a desk based assessment and archaeological monitoring and recording for an area to the west of the site. This revealed an undated ditch of a possible medieval manorial enclosure or a church enclosure that may predate the existing house alongside a substantive 17th century to 18th century culvert that is likely to be associated with the house. It also revealed walls and a cobbled surface that are associated with an undated barn that is depicted on the OS 1st Edition Map of 1888 and that was demolished following damage during the hurricane of 1987. In 2017 SWARCH carried out further archaeological monitoring and recording during the installation of a septic tank for an area to the north-west of the site. This revealed no significant archaeological deposits or features. The garage building is a single-storey service building that would have stood detached in a courtyard opposite the currently named Garden Wing. The garage building contained several blocked windows in its surviving northern wall and western wall that would suggest a need for light in the interior. This would hint that its most likely historic function was perhaps as a stable building, with a coach house in the adjoining Garden Wing. Whilst fairly simple in build and much altered, the garage building does contribute to the setting of the house and to the wider narrative of the complex as a former gentry residence. It may be associated with below ground evidence, preserved beneath the concrete pads, that could not only confirm the function of the space but could also inform on the historic periods of occupation of the house. The garage building is merely functional in its architecture, however it does use local vernacular materials and traditional construction methods. It has no aesthetic value and it has no communal value. It is part of the wider complex and so it has some ascribed historical value due to its association with the notable Reynell family who were related to the better known Pomeroys. There are no architecturally significant features within the current structure (which requires separate recording) and the garage building is considered merely locally important to the wider grouping at the site. The archaeological monitoring and recording demonstrated that the western end of the garage building was constructed on top of a former terrace and this may suggest that there is the potential for earlier buildings or for archaeological deposits or features to survive within the wider courtyard.