Nostalgia: Last chance to look inside fascinating historical site

Kirkham House in Paignton opens on Monday, 26 May, from 1pm to 4pm.

It will then be closed until the summer opening in July and August. Much has been written about the house itself, its history as far as it is known, and the various people who owned the property after Henry VIII confiscated everything owned by the church.

However, it's worth exploring some of the interesting and original features inside the house. Built to a very high standard by the church in the late 14th century, it is very different from the type of accommodation the local people would have been living in.

The main hall, which extends to the full height of the building, has an original medieval fireplace. Thought to be one of the oldest in the country, it is extremely large and features a flagstone hearth where the stones are laid upright.

This was thought to conduct heat better. The large windows in the main hall would have been glazed, rare and very expensive at that time; the glass that can be seen now is not original. The roof of the building was always slate, not thatched as was much more usual.

Moving into the passageway, there are two particularly interesting and rare features. The house was what was known as a medieval cross-passage house. Animals who were roaming free in nearby orchards during the day would be brought through the passage in the evening and kept in a secure area at the back of the house overnight to prevent theft.

The stones on the floor of the cross passage are laid on their ends to make it easier for the animals to walk through without slipping. They are also laid in a slight slope to make washing the passageway and draining away the water easier. The floor in the cross passage is the original medieval floor. The passageway is divided from the rooms on either side by a wooden screen.

The screen, only uncovered in the 1960s, is original and in amazing condition. Some repairs can be seen, but much of it is as it was built. Halfway up the screen can be seen some medieval graffiti. Thought to be put there to ward off evil spirits, this is a recent find and is still being researched.

One other interesting and recently authenticated feature is the bee bole in the original outer wall. The outer wall is enclosed by a small Tudor extension but is intact and bears the remains of the original limestone render. The bee bole, which is an alcove in the outer wall, was to house the hive.

Bees were kept for their honey and also for beeswax to make candles. Candles made from animal fat can give off black smoke and an unpleasant smell. Both can be avoided if the beeswax is used instead.

These are just a few of the fascinating things to be seen in Kirkham House. There are many more, and of course, following a guided tour around the house, visitors can take a trip to the Clink and the Bishops Tower. More reasons to visit Kirkham House.

Paignton Heritage Society conducts the tours of Kirkham; the property is owned and maintained by English Heritage. Visits are free; donations are much appreciated. PHS is a thriving group dedicated to preserving the heritage of Paignton.

In the near future a heritage room will open in Paignton Library where many photos and maps of old Paignton can be seen together with a vast amount of information on life in Paignton throughout the ages. Recently two books for children have been written by the society in collaboration with Oldway School.

The first is a history of Paignton, and the second is a snapshot of life in Paignton during WW2. The books were funded by a grant from the Torbay Heritage Fund and have been distributed FOC to all the primary schools in the area. We are planning to start a junior heritage group, meeting once a month in the library in the autumn; details are yet to be finalised. Our next meeting will be on 19 June, when our speaker will be Janet Downer.

Bee boles can be single or in groups. To see an original bee bole and an example of authentic mediaeval graffiti, visit Kirkham House.