Description

TREVALGA
SX 08 NE
4/229 Trewitten
II*
House. Circa early C17 or possibly earlier. Slate stone rubble. Rag slate roof
with gable ends. Stone rubble axial stack backing onto higher side of passage and
possibly inserted stone rubble stack on lower right hand gable end.
Plan: Particularly interesting 2 room and through passage plan lower end to the
right; the entrance is directly into the smaller room on the right with a thick wall
containing a chimney flue on the higher left hand side of the passage with no
evidence of a screen on the lower right hand side of the passage. The smaller right
hand room was possibly originally unheated with a blocked drain hole visible in the
lower right hand gable end. This drain hole may indicate that the right hand room
was used as a shippon although the room is fairly small and there is no evidence of
any ventilation slits in the wall. The larger hall room on the left is heated by an
axial stack which backs onto the passage and is lit by a window in a 2 storey
projecting bay on the higher side of the rear elevation. A relatively large semi-
circular newel stair in a rectangular stair turret to the right of the front of the
hall gives access to the chamber over the lower end. It is uncertain whether the
hall on left was open to the roof although it is probable that it was floored and the
stair also originally gave access to a chamber above the left hand room. In circa
C18 the fireplace was inserted in the lower right hand gable end to heat the right
hand room. In circa early C19 an outbuilding of rectangular plan was added on the
higher left-hand gable end and outbuildings and service rooms were added on the rear
right and right-hand gable end in circa mid to late C19.
2 storeys. Asymmetrical 3 window front with rectangular stair turret near centre and
entrance to right of centre. The hall on left has no ground floor window on the
front elevation and the chamber above is lit by a small 1-light window. The stair
turret is lit by a small casement window. To right, C20 part glazed plank door and
2-light casements to right on ground and first floor with rendered lintels. The rear
elevation has a 3-window front with 2-storey hall bay projection on higher side.
Service outshot to rear of lower end. In lower right hand gable end there is
evidence of a blocked drain-hole. Outbuilding added on higher left hand gable end;
stone rubble with slate roof.
Interior : through passage with no evidence to indicate the existence of a partition
on the lower side. On the lower right hand gable end, the Rayburn stove prevents the
inspection of the drain-hole. The hall to left has a C20 fireplace backing onto the
passage with a curved side on left possibly for an oven. There are no stops visible
to the chamfered ceiling beams. Turretted stair to front of hall with slate treads.
The roof structure although not fully accessible appears to have been replaced in
circa early C19; the single truss above the lower room and 2 trusses above the hall
appear to be very straight, the collars lapped and pegged onto the face of the
principals.
Trewitten has an interesting plan which, as a small 2-room plan early C17 house, is a
particularly rare survival in Cornwall. All 4 elevations and the interior remain
unaltered and unspoilt.

Listing NGR: SX0896788702

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17531004

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

• 
  Hampshire: South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  London 4: North: North v. 4 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Kent: West and the Weald: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Worcestershire Revised Edition (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability