Description

SX 77 SE TORBRYAN

4/27 Gaia House
-

- II

Retreat house, formerly a rectory. Late C17 (or possible earlier) enlarged in
1847. Painted render, solid walls. Slated roofs. Double-depth plan with a third range abutting and at right-angles to the other plan with a third range abutting and at right-angles to the other two. Two storeys. The three ranges are of quite distinct character and (presumably) date. Front range of 1847 in romantic 'Tudor' style. Four-window front with large, two-storeyed gabled entrance-porch off-centre to left. Angle-buttresses, moulded coping with kneelers. Moulded doorway with two-centred arch and hood-mould; inner door of two leaves, the upper part and the fanlight above with small-paned glazing and margin lights. One window above and stone bell-turret and bell in gable, the latter projecting on corbels and with a shouldered head, probably inserted reset work. Large projecting chimney-stack with off-sets to right shaft rebuilt. Ground storey has window at either side of porch, these and the four second-storey windows having mullioned and transomed wood casements 2 panes below transom. All but the right-hand second-storey window have straight heavily-moulded hood-mould. Rear range predominantly of late C17. Four- window front with three large projecting stone chimney-stacks, each having on top a pair of diagonally-set brick shafts of C19 date. All windows (except for C19 French window to left of ground storey) have wood casements of 3 lights, the mullions of square section with light ogee mouldings internally and ovolo mouldings externally. Third second-storey window from left a half-landing stair window.
Beneath it a small C19 doorway with four-centred head. Two dormer windows with
barge-boards and finials of C19. Interior has wooden dog-leg staircase with closed moulded strings, flat handrail, square newels and turned balusters, rising to garret; balusters, of probably late C17 profile, have been re-set at wider spacings. Roof-structure, probably C19. Lower range with roof mainly at right-angles to the other two except at the garden end which has a gabled roof with a brick stack. 2 later brick shafts in gable; C17 stack with tapered top in front gable. Rear wall has three-light window in each storey matching those in adjacent range. Roof structure not inspected. Both the earlier ranges may have fireplaces and other features hidden under plaster.

Ref. White's Directory of Devonshire 1850 p 433. Formerly known as Denbury Rectory.

Listing NGR: SX8199568747

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26423091

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)
• 
  Hampshire: South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of History Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
• 
  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Care and Repair
• 
  Lancashire: Liverpool and the South-West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)