Description

ST BURYAN TREWOOFE
SW 42 NW
5/167 Trewoofe, including garden walls
to the east
9.6.77
GV II
Farmhouse, including garden walls to rear (east). Resited doorway (circa 1490)
belonging to formerly larger medieval house with arms of the Trewoofe and Levelis
families. Possibly parts of walls at left-hand (north) side of house are late
medieval, otherwise C17 remodelled in circa 1760 and circa early C19. Granite rubble
with granite dressings. Wet-laid scantle slate roof sweeping lower at the rear
(entrance front). Dressed granite stacks over the gable ends. Left-hand stack is
external.
Plan: Present building is the part formerly known as the "Porch House" and was
probably joined to a larger house built at right angles in front to the right. This
larger house is now a ruin and mostly foundations only. Its plan was drawn by Treffry
Hoblyn in 1935. This drawing shows what appears to be a 2 similar house's of overall
E-shaped plan plus extension. The left-hand (west) house has the position shown of
the resited doorway in its south wall. Before these drawings were made the house had
become ruinous and the doorway was moved to Ayr Manor, St Ives. Recently (1987) the
doorway was re-erected in the rear doorway of the present house. This house has a
puzzling plan. The walls, left (north) of the present central through passage are
thicker than those to the right (on lower ground), the house is 2 rooms wide and 2
rooms deep and there are very thick walls or C17 features in the back of the house.
There are 2 possible explanations:
1) That the C17 house had shallow rear rooms and the fireplace in the right-hand
room was remodelled in the C17 leaving its right-hand jamb in situ and reusing its
lintel.
2) That the house was L-shaped in the C17 and that the front right-hand room is a
C18 infilling of the angle.
The right-hand wall of the rear outshut projects to the right and there is a short
projecting wall which probably originally joined with the now ruined remains. It is
possible that in the Middle Ages there were buildings ranged round a courtyard and
that Trewoofe Farmhouse qv., is a C17 rebuilding on the north side of that courtyard.
Exterior: 2 storeys. Nearly symmetrical 3 window west front with central doorway.
2 tiers of pigeon holes under heightend eaves. Present front appears to be
contemporary with the late-C18 or early-C19 16-pane hornless sashes which have
original crown glass. The doorway is a remodelled C17 chamfered doorway or a doorway
incorporating reused C17 masonry. Panelled door with overlight Rear (present
entrance front) is lower. C18 wide windows openings at left and right with similar
openings just above. C20 2-light casements with glazing bars. Central doorway has
recently been re-erected and is the circa 1495 principal doorway of Trewoofe
(formerely Trewoofe Manor). It is a remarkable round-arched moulded doorway with
integral carved pilasters carrying in carved panels, the arms of the Trewoofe family
(left) and Levelis family (right). The simple carving of the pilasters appears to be
symbolic of fertility. Joan Trewoofe (only surviving child) married Thomas Levelis,
of Castle Horneck, in circa 1490 and the doorway was probably built for them.
Right-hand wall of rear outshut has 2 chamfered probably C17 windows in situ and
there is another similar window in the adjoining gable end.
Granite coped rubble walls front on irregularly shaped shallow courtyard at the rear
of the house.
Interior: C17 slayed-on-plan chamfered fireplace with stone fireback and chamfers to
outer sides of both jambstones (left-hand room); C17 or C18 fireplace incorporating
much C17 chamfered masonry; C17 moulded wooden lintel over rear doorway; C18 moulded
beams and two 2-panel doors (resited), otherwise C18 and C19 carpentry and joinery
including C19 roof structure.
Trewoofe was held by the Trewoofe family from 1270 (when held by William and his wife
Haweis) or earlier until circa 1590, from when, following the marriage of the only
surviving child, Joan, to Thomas Levelis it was held by the Levelis family until 1690
when it was left to 2 surviving daughters and subsequently sold.
Source: Copies of material by: Mr T Hoblyn at the Penzance subscription Library;
Henderson MSS at The Royal Institution of Cornwall; the Tithes Apportionment map of
1844 at the CRO; Arthur Levelis "Booke at the Bodleian. This and other information
researched and supplied by Margaret Powell.

Listing NGR: SW4395325392

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26436750

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

• 
  Drawing up a Local Listed Building Consent Order: Historic England Advice Note 6
• 
  Building Small Projects (New Best of Fine Woodworking)
• 
  Old House Care and Repair
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Cornwall (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)