Description

BRADNINCH PARSONAGE STREET (north side),
ST OO SW
Bradninch
12/45 Bradninch Manor (formerly listed
-
16.9.77 as Manor House)
- I
Large detached house, formerly the manor house. Built 1547 for Peter Seynthill;
cross wings added early in the C17; Hall remodelled early in the C18: later
alterations. Central range, brick to front, cob to rear; coursed rubble volcanic
trap cross wings under gabled-end slate roofs. The single-depth central range with
hall at ground level, bedrooms above, and rear corrider, to all appearances dating
from the early C18, occupies the site of the 1547 Hall described in 1645 as
'Peter's great and lofty hall'; part of the roof of this survives, the pair of
columns at the end of the present hall probably marks the position of the screens
passage; the rear cob wall may also date from this period. The left-hand cross
wing contains the C17 principal rooms and ground staircase; the right-hand wing
contained the dining room, servery and kitchen but has been subsequently much re-
ordered. 2 axial stacks to main range; one partially dismantled external lateral
wing to right-hand elevation (possibly the end stack to the original main range);
rear end stack to left-hand cross wing and another to the inner face of same. All
intact stacks with brick shafts. 2 storeys throughout, the wings with attic
storey.
Front: Central range of 5 bays, symmetrical; hornless sash windows throughout, 6
panes to 1st floor, 12 to ground floor, all with moulded timber architraves, that
to the central 1st floor window lugged and shouldered. Brick window arches with
keystones. Plat band. Central doorway under pediment with carnice and modillions,
Tuscan pilasters; glazed inner and outer doors. Moulded gutter box extends to
inner faces of wings, neither of which have windows. Fronts of both wings are
identical: one window per floor all with ovolo moulded stone surronds; 5-light
attic window; 4-light window with ovolo moulded transom to 1st and ground floor;
all with leaded panes, 16 per light to 1st and ground floor, 18 to left hand attic
window, 8 to right-hand. Moulded plinth around the whole. Terracotta mounted
horsemen to gable apexes of wings (not visible in photograph of 1913).
Right-hand elevation: porch with moulded cornice and 2 Ionic columns; 2-light
window above and small dormer; the external stack and some rough cast cob may be
mid-C16.
Left-hand elevation: all stone: basement with two 2-light stone windows, the
mullions and jambs with ovolo moulding, the lintel chamfered.
Ground-floor with 3 four-light windows, timber with transom, the jambs ovolo
moulded, the principal mullians and transom keeled, the subordinate mullions flat-
faced; 1st floor with two 5-light windows, and one of 6 lights, timber, the lintel
at eaves level, 18 leaded panes per light and some armorial glass.
Rear: one single and one double wing, the former with stair turret in angle formed
by junction of wing and main range, 2 single-light windows to 1st floor, and one 2-
light window to ground floor, with C20 casements. This wing is partly of cob and
may represent the former lower-end wing. Double wing, each component separately
gabled; the inner and smaller wing with tall 3-light stone window with 2 transoms,
to light great staircase, with hood mould and animal stops, ovolo moulded, all
leaded. 3-light window to ground floor, ovolo moulded, with one fleur-de-lis stop,
leaded panes, stanchions and saddle bars; main rear wing with 3-light stone window
to basement, with chamfered surround. lst floor windows with 3-light timber
windows, each light ogee-headed with latticed leading.
Interior: of the 1547 Hall roof, 4 trusses visible, collars removed, trenched
purlins with run-out stops. The early-C17 work is of a very high standard of
design and craftsmanship. Both the wood and plasterwork have similarities with
other commissions close to Exeter and is probably the work of an atelier in that
city. The internal porch in the 'Job Room' is one of a very small group, and has
strongest affinities with that at nearby Bradfield (Uffculme parish). After the
illegal removal (by former occupants in 1980) of several of the C17 rooms, only the
'Job Room' and the main staircase from this scheme remains intact. The former is
an exceptionally fine room: plaster ceiling with central pendant and geometrical
designs made up of double ribs with pomegranate panels and angle sprays.
Pomegranates also feature on the plaster cornice moulding. Wooden panelling
throughout, 5 panels high, the main sections 4 panels wide and divided by pilasters
which are all different in design with trophies, musical instruments and
arabesques; arcaded frieze and cornice above. The internal porch, set in one of
the corners of the room has panelled sides, one richly decorated Corinthian column
to each side of the panelled door rest on arcaded bases; the entablature with
panels filled with intricate floral designs and heads, and surmounted by a
strapwork crest with figures at the angles. The overmantle to the stone fireplace
(with an ovolo moulded segmentally-headed arch) displays episodes from the
patriarch Job's trials and tribulations, with Abraham and Isaac, and Jacob
wrestling with the angel, amongst other narrative scenes, each pictorial panel
divided by double pilasters, under a rich entablature, the whole supported by
caryatids on panelled bases. Dog-leg grand staircase, with turned balusters,
moulded string, a formal foliage run along side of handrail, the bobbin newels with
lion's heads affixed, one griffin newel finial survives. Of the library and King
Charles Room, formerly fully panelled with overmantles etc, only the ovolo-moulded
stone fireplaces remain, along with plaster cornice. The early-C18 hall - 'a
noble, restrained, classical room' (Pevsner) - panelled with dentilled cornice
throughout; 2 Ionic columns support a similary treated cross beam (and might mark
the former screens passage); pair of panelled doors at either end with lugged
architraves and entablature; one end chimney piece with lugged architrave and
entablature with anthemion motifs, and a small central pediment.
References: Pevsner, SD:p.59. A.L. Radford, 'Bradninch Manor Devon' Country Life:
13th Sept 1916; M. Jourdain, English Interior Decoration, 1500 to 1830, (1950) pp
15,20,27.

Listing NGR: ST0032904105

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17526302

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

• 
  Sussex: East with Brighton and Hove (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Warwickshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
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  Lancashire: Liverpool and the South-West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  For the Record
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  Suffolk: West: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)