Description

SX 16 SW BOCONNOC BOCONNOC PARK

3/5 Boconnoc House

27/8/52
GV II*

County House, presently unoccupied, C16/17, home of Mohun family, extended after
1719 for Thomas Pitt, Governor of Madras, and in 1772 a south (picture gallery)
wing added by the amateur owner Thomas Pitt, 1st Baron Camelford in association
with Charles Rawlinson (carpenter and joiner, Lostwithiel): reputed to have been
repaired by Sir John Soane: C19 additions, C20 alterations including 1772 wing
demolished by Corvell, Drewitt & Wheatley, 1971.
Rubble stone, formerly stuccoed east front with ashlar dressings and carved
and moulded timber, slate roofs and brick stacks. 2 storeys with garrets and part
cellars. Former L-shaped plan, now reduced to I-plan consisting of nearly
symmetrical 8 window east front with 1 bay C18 symmetrical flanking wings breaking
forward. 4 storey C19 block adjoins at north and reduced to 3 storeys in C20,
making an 11 window front. Kitchens under south (demolished) wing now filled in
under the C18 terrace.
C16/C17 remodelled main range has thick walls with C18 refronting consisting
of regular fenestration, large classical timber frontispiece at entrance doorway in
fourth opening from left consisting of entablature with triglyphs and slightly
projecting canopy at stone plat band level supported by 2 timber pilasters with
Roman Doric caps and bases flanking pair of 3 panel doors with spoked fanlight and
broken cornice at door head. Stuccoed plinth and stone cill course with 3 C18 tall
sashes each sash plated with internal shutters to right. Eight C19 casement
windows with 3-panes per casement and stone cills in corresponding position above
floor. All windows have flat stone voissoirs and all glazing bars are thin.
Moulded cornice and parapet partly hides 5 flat roofed dormers with sashes of 3
panes above 3 panes arranged in an attempt to overcome the asymmetrical entrance
position. Flanking wings, without plinth or cill courses each have tripartite
timber sash 6 panes above 6 panes in centre and 4 panes above 4 panes under rubble
stone segmental voussoirs, perhaps of later design than the C18 first floor moulded
and carved timber Palladian window. Ionic columns flank remains of barred sashes
of uncertain pattern. Garret dormers over as below. C19 north block pair of wood
casements, south elevation of barred sashes on each floor under cornice and
parapet, C20 return end where picture gallery demolished has replica Palladian
window at first floor. Mansard roof of small slates with lead ridge rolls over the
whole with hipped ends over wings and hipped over C19 north block. C19 character
to newly exposed west side of house partly masked by C20 single storey screen wall.
C18 entrance elevation to cellared kitchens remains below west end of terrace.
Interior: coved and moulded ceiling to entrance hall with C19 Ionic screen of
coupled columns and responds in false work. To right 4 bay room (site of former
hall) with good C18 details including elaborate plaster ceiling of perimeter ribs
contained by enriched pulvinated and modillion cornice. Aedicules with shell heads
below entablature on consoles and break forward below dado, flanking a doorcase set
inside a pedimented entablature on Ionic fluted pilasters. Plastered picture
frames each side of cast iron grate of circa 1820. Lions heads with floral drops
below, between each window architrave. Staircase on left of entrance hall has
C19/20 attempt in wood at Imperial staircase with mural painting to walls and
ceiling in Edwardian Neo-classical guise. Rooms on south end fitted out in similar
style except in picture gallery anteroom where the remaining features and salvaged
casing timbers suggest better quality. C18 ground floor north wing panelled full
height in billiard room and deep cornice of vine leaves of early C19 character in
large smoking room immediately to west. First floor rooms generally C18 panelled
to dado level. A park of considerable landscape merit of 1st Baron Camelford's
time
surrounds the house. The house is sited with similar relationship to Parish Church
as Landydrock. Soan's repairs have not been identified. The south projecting wing
appears once to have extended further to the east. Garrets, roofs and north block
not inspected.
Source: N Pevsner & E Radcliffe Buildings of England Cornwall, 1970; D Stroud The
Architecture of Sir John Soane; H Colvin Dictionary of English Architects, 2nd ed.

Listing NGR: SX1463360557

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17555714

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

• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990: Updated version
• 
  Churches: An Architectural Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Pevsner's Architectural Glossary (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of History Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
• 
  County Durham (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England) by Elizabeth Williamson Nikolaus Pevsner(1983-03-11)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair