Poundstock Gildhouse

Poundstock, near Bude, EX23 0AX
Tel: (01288) 361356
Email: website@poundstockgildhouse.co.uk
Web: www.poundstockgildhouse.co.uk

Facebook   Instagram

Large Medieval house

The unique structure was built around 1500 by skilled craftsmen during the reign of Henry VIII using traditional techniques and materials such as cob, local stone and slate. In the beginning the ground floor probably comprised a kitchen, bakehouse and brewhouse, a meeting place and a store room, while the first floor was an open feasting hall where the 'Church ales' would have been held. Church ales were celebrations held within the church calendar, particularly at Whitsuntide and May Day when ales were brewed and sold in order to raise funds for the Church or for good causes in the parish. With the growth of Puritanism in the late 17th century drinking was seen as sinful, church ales were considered to be nothing but drunken disorders and were suppressed. Church houses were gradually abandoned, demolished or put to other uses. Poundstock Gildhouse, by the late 18th century had been divided up to become a poorhouse and schoolroom and in 1907 there was a large scale refurbishment and it was turned into Parish meeting rooms as a place for year round activities, exhibitions and celebrations. Until 2006 the building was showing its age, both structurally and in terms of its facilities and work was urgently needed to preserve it.

During 2007 and 2008 a considerable amount of restoration work was done with the aid of the Heritage Lottery Fund and Awards for all as well as a large amount of local fund-raising, to make the building sound and update the access and facilities to the required standard. We now have a magnificent Feasting Hall with a well equipped kitchen upstairs while downstairs there is a smaller meeting room and kitchen. Both floors have disabled facilities and in one corner of the ground floor there is even a completely preserved little stable where the Schoolmistress used to keep her pony.

Now the restoration is finished, this irreplaceable part of Poundstock's heritage has the potential to become the venue for a diverse and inclusive range of activities such as weddings and meetings. The Gildhouse will be open to the public as a heritage centre and may be booked for a variety of functions throughout the year.

The building has long served the community and beyond and is now open to take reservations for a variety of functions. The Gildhouse is available for exhibitions, concerts, parties, conferences, meetings and weddings. You can still feast in the Tudor feasting hall, but have prepared the food in an up-to-the-minute kitchen.

Location

Four miles south of Bude and just west of the A39.

Bude       Crackington Haven       Penfound Manor       Penhallam Manor       Widemouth Bay