The Black House was built in the 14th century and used by monks when the building of St Mary's church took place nearby. There are many spooky stories told about the house.

The ghost of Squire Hilliard, who lived in the 16th century, is said to come back to search for his son.

The story goes that the Squire's son fell in love with a young girl from Cheriton, but apparently the Squire did not approve of the match and forced her to marry another man. Whilst the Squire's son was out riding one day he saw his love coming from the church newly married. He was so heartbroken he hung himself.

Since then strange things happened in the Black House.  Doors lock for no reason even though the bolts are not shot, noises and footsteps are heard and horses hooves are heard on the lawn, as it was cobbles and not grass (traces of cobbles have been found under the lawn) and lights mysteriously come and go inside the house.
 

Sal Churchill - Brixham in Pictures
'When I lived in the Bell Inn in the 1960's, one of the customers, Jock who was a night watchman with his trusty Alsatian dog, would have to walk down the road to work, calling in The Bell for a swift half on route, passing Black House on the way down and on the way back. The dog would never walk on the pavement next to the house but would drag him across the road!!!

Owned by Nicholas Gillard, a wealthy landowner, who married a daughter of the Gillards, Black House, and it’s now separate wings, was home to the Gillard family who were solicitors for many generations. The dates are slightly misleading as this records the history of buildings on the site.

The garden opposite has a historic orchard and used to house many exotic plants from the Gillard trips around the world. 

Note the pointed arch in the back garden and recall the Eveleigh House and Almyer windows.

Also spot the “Tradesman's” gate to the side. house dating from 13th Century. The doorway has been narrowed and is at one end rather than along one side of the building.

Entry Name: Friars Pardon, Black House, Black Friars House Including Walls, Gates and Piers

Listing Date: 18 October 1949

Last Amended: 18 October 1993

Grade: II

Source: Historic England

Source ID: 1217915

English Heritage Legacy ID: 383667
(Formerly Listed as: Black Cottage, Friars Pardon, Black House, Black Friars House and Penrose, MILTON STREET

Formerly known as: Black House, Penrose, Ingle Nook, Black Cottage MILTON STREET Higher Brixham.
 

Large house. Probably C16/C17 or earlier, remodelled C17/C18 and again C18/C19. Minor additions to front in 1913. Solid rendered walls.

Slated roof, the left cross-wing hipped to front and rear. 4 rendered chimneys with tapered caps; 1 on right end wall (heightened in brick), 1 on right rear wall of Black House, 1 on each of the rear wings.

Appears to be a 3-room-and-cross-passage plan with cross wing projecting to left. Rear wing at each end of main range with a third alongside the left wing, behind the cross passage. 2 storeys, with garret in parts. 4 window main range; 2 windows in cross wing.

Black House, which occupies the 3 left-hand windows of main range, has central doorway with large C18/C19 wooden porch having slender fluted columns and flat hood, the latter designed as an entablature with dentilled cornice. Rusticateddoor surround of 1913; half-glazed door with 2 moulded panels below and coloured leaded glass above. 3-light window above and to left of upper storey; other 2 upper-storey windows single-light; 6-paned sashes, those in side-lights 2-paned.

Friars Pardon, in right-hand end of main range has matching 3-light window in each storey; 4-panelled door to left. Cross-wing (Black Friars House) has 2-light wood casements with 8 panes per light. Half-glazed door to right; 2 moulded panels below, coloured leaded glass above.

The whole front has been decorated with cement quoins and window surrounds, apparently in 1913, since the dates 1457-1913 are moulded on a scroll above the middle upper-storey window of the Black House. Coved eaves-cornice over main range. C20 dormer with metal casements over Friars Pardon. Another, with wood casements, over Black Friars House.

Left side wall has 3 windows with 6-paned sashes in upper storey; C20 dormer with wood casments. Small-paned sashes in rear wall; rainwater-head dated 1881.

INTERIOR inspected only at the Black House.

Detail almost entirely C18/C19 with some C17/C18, probably including the roof structure. Wooden open-well stair, the first flight balustraded on both sides, with the balustrades turning left and right at the top. Thin, square moulded balusters, shaped step-ends, both handrails voluted at the foot. In front of it a segmental arch springing from moulded pilasters.

6-panelled doors to rooms at either side on ground floor; these have panelled shutters and moulded cornices with enriched ceiling bands.  First-floor half-landing and landing with moulded cornices; segmental arch over stair-head. Five 6-panelled doors.

All 3 first-floor front rooms have moulded cornices.

Right-hand room has C17/C18 wood chimneypiece with moulded surround and cornice. Left-hand room has C19 moulded wood chimneypiece with grey marble interior; iron basket-grate.
 

Left rear-wing room has grey marble chimneypiece with hob grate; cupboards with plank and panelled doors, one with a broken triangular pediment; moulded cornice.

Short wing adjoining it (now bathroom) has in rear wall a round-arched recess with fluted pilasters and moulded archivolt; moulded cornice. Roof-trusses of front range have arched collars pegged to their faces; through-purlins. Old iron pump in back yard.

Subsidiary features: To left of house is a rendered wall with coping; at the left-hand end this curves inwards to a pair of large round gate piers with ball finials; iron gates, marked BLACK HOUSE TRADESMEN with arched braces and scrollwork. At right-hand end is a smaller iron gate with ornamented finials to the uprights; square piers with pyramidal caps and ball finials.

The 1975 list description says this was 'originally the Town Manor House'. Horsley says the 'buildings stand on a piece of land that formerly belonged to the Duke of Suffolk, and was sold off by the Crown between 1590 and 1610.'
 

(White W: Directory of Devonshire: 1850-: 427, 429; Horsley J E: A Short History of  Brixham: Exeter: 1988-: 12).