Description

NORTH BOVEY
SX 78 SW
4/206 Manor House Hotel including
-
16.1.81 terraces immediately to
south-east
GV II*

Country house in use as an hotel. 1907 by Detmar Blow for Viscount Hambledon;
extended in 1930s and hall floored in early 1980s. Snecked squared granite blocks
with dressed quoins. Bath stone dressings to doors and windows. High pitched clay
tiled roof with tall grouped octagonal granite chimneys.
Main building in Jacobean style. Roughly central entrance hall leads to long
passage running length of building with main rooms opening to the south looking onto
the garden. Great hall to the right of entrance hall has had a floor inserted in
early 1980s. Later additions to the north and west end dating from 1930s.
2 storeys with attic floor. Asymmetrical entrance front (north west) of 5 bays with
later additions projecting from left end and extending from the right end. The
outer bays are projecting and gabled with 3 tiers of mullioned windows of decreasing
size as they go up, with the ground and first floor ones transomed. Projecting
central 2 storey porch with shaped gable, 4-light mullion and transomed window above
semi-circular stone arched doorway. To right of porch on ground and first floors is
single light then 4-light mullion and transomed window. To left of porch is very
large mullion and transomed stair window of 12 arched lights. To its left is
buttress then 3-light mullion and transomed window on ground and first floors. The
middle section between the 2 projecting gables is battlemented.
Rear (south-east) garden front has similar though more symmetrical 5-bay front to
main block with irregular right end. Main block has 2 projecting outer bays with
pointed gables. Central projecting ground floor entrance loggia of 3-bay arcade
with round-headed arched doorways. Recessed shaped gable above. To either side is
projecting 2-storey window bay with 6-light mullion and transomed windows to ground
and first floor. To either side, between this bay and the gabled outer bay is
recessed section with 6-light mullion and transomed windows to ground and first
floor. The section between the 2 outer projecting bays is battlemented with string-
course above ground and first floor windows. Good lead inscribed rain-water heads.
To right of main block is asymmetrical 4 window battlemented block with projecting
gabled bay at far right which has 2 tiers of mullion windows and arcaded arched
doorways to ground floor. To the left of the projecting gable is canted 5-light
mullion and transomed oriel window and irregularly placed mullion and mullion and
transomed windows around it. Drip-course above each level of windows with 3 stone
gargoyles above the upper one.
In front of the house is a stone balustraded garden terrace retaining wall running
the full length with steps opposite the entrance loggia leading to an intermediate
stage which has steps leading down from it either side.
Interior is of high quality. The main rooms open to the south-west off a groin
vaulted long passage with arcading of carved stone arched doorways and moulded
plasterwork. The main rooms are an Adam style drawing room, an elaborately panelled
dining room with ornate carved wooden overmantle to fireplace and moulded plaster
ceiling of ribs and pendants. Between these 2 rooms is the great hall, originally
of 2 storey height with gallery at one end, now ceiled in to make 2 rooms. Panelled
walls with 2-bay arcade at one end with splat baluster staircase to former gallery
beyond and very elaborately carved stone fireplace at the opposite end. The room
above has stone arcading around the sides and a roof of moulded arched braced tie-
beams with carved spandrels and trefoil-headed arcading above trusses. Moulded
purlins and ridge. Elaborately carved Jacobean style staircase.

Listing NGR: SX7314984472

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Bovey Castle at Wikipedia
• Wikidata IDs Q17534754 Q4950530

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Herefordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides): Written by Charles O'Brien, 2014 Edition, Publisher: Yale University Press [Hardcover]
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair by Hunt. Roger ( 2008 ) Hardcover
• 
  England's Post-War Listed Buildings
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair