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

• Wikidata Q26436750

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Recommended Books

• 
  Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Surrey (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2
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  London 3: North West: North West v. 3 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Hampshire: Winchester and the North (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)