Description

EGLOSHAYLE
SX 07 SW
4/6 Croan
6.6.69

GV II*

Country House. Circa 1696 (datestone), probably with earlier origins. Probably
rebuilt for Edward Hoblyn who died in 1704.
Local slatestone rubble; ashlar slatestone front with moulded slate plinth. Slate
roof with hipped ends and gable end to rear left (north west) wing. Stone rubble
axial, rear lateral and end stacks.
Plan: Original plan uncertain. The house was a seat of the Roscarrock family and a
Charles Roscarrock was recorded as having 11 hearths in the hearth tax returns for
1664. It is therefore possible that this refers to Croan and suggests that the house
may have substantial earlier origins. However the detailing of the existing house
appears to date almost entirely from the late C17 and is very complete.
The house is of in overall 'L' shaped plan with a front (south) range of 3 room plan
and a rear left hand (north west) wing of 2 room and passage plan. The three front
rooms are heated by fireplaces on the rear walls; the right and large central
entrance hall heated by rear lateral stacks later incorporated as axial stacks and
the left hand room has an axial stack. The late C17 stair is accommodated in a stair
projection to the rear right of the central entrance hall and has possibly been
partly reset. The rear wing comprises a two room plan with the main entrance leading
into a passage directly to the rear of the front range, linking with the stair. In
the circa early C20 the stair hall was partly remodelled to accommodate a corridor
which was added on the ground and first floor along the east wall of the rear (north
west) wing to improve circulation. In circa C19 a wing of one=room plan was added to
the rear of the front right hand room, adjoining the stair projection. Also possibly
in the late C19 or early C20 a service room, now used as a cottage, was added on the
west side of the rear left hand (north west) wing.
There is a datestone of 1696 on a chimneypiece in a bedroom in the rear wing and much
of the bolection moulded panelling within the house would appear to be co-eval.
However, an estate map, of Croan, signed George Withiell of Plymouth, Philemoth, Anno
1702, illustrates the south front of Croan with a symmetrical seven window front as
existing but with mullion and transom windows and with a central pediment. It is
possible that the mullion and transom windows were never installed, being superseded
by the more fashionable 12-pane sashes with heavy glazing bars as existing. Although
the central bay of the house is set slightly forward there is little evidence to
indicate whether the pediment existed; the roof structure has been largely replaced
in the C19 and C20.
Exterior: 2 storeys and attic. Symmetrical 7 window south front with complete early
C18 12-pane sashes with heavy glazing bars and dressed stone flat arches. Ashlar
freestone doorcase with pulvinated frieze in cornice and console brackets. The door
is partly glazed and appears to be late C17 or early C18, or made up of reused parts
features including heavy glazing bars and three raised and fielded panels. The
central three bays are set slightly forward. Deep moulded eaves cornice on brackets.
Right-hand (east) side elevation has a large painted coat of arms depicting the
Tremayne arms quartered with Carew. The left-hand (west) elevation comprises an
asymmetrical four window front with the main entrance to right of centre. To left,
C19 tripartite sash and chamfered granite 4-centred arch with diagonal stops,
possibly reset but of late C16 or early C17 origin now within the C19 or early C20
service wing, now a cottage. Tripartite sash to right with circa C20 partly glazed
door with bracketted hood. Four 12-pane sashes on first floor and three hipped full
dormers to attic. Deep moulded eaves cornice on brackets. Rear (north) elevation
has a stair projection, the stair lit by a late C17 round headed stair window with
heavy glazing bars.
Interior: Complete and of a high quality. The main south front range has complete
bolection moulded panelling in the left-hand room, late C17 moulded cornice and 8-
panel doors with raised and fielded panels. Central room has moulded late C17
cornice and a fine bolection moulded chimney-piece with central raised panel. C17
Delft tiles reset in fireplace opening. The right-hand room on the east has complete
bolection moulded panelling with late C17 moulded cornice which breaks forward in the
centre of the 4 walls and at the corners. The chimney-piece has been altered in the
C19 and C20 and has reset C17 Delft tiles in the reveals of the fireplace. Simple
small plaster motif in centre of ceiling, possibly C18 with four heart shaped
patterns. The room to the rear of the left-hand room in the rear wing has two large
boxed ceiling beams.
The fine circa late C17 stair has possibly been partly reset and is an open well
stair with a closed string, deep moulded rail and has alternating barley-sugar twist
and turned vase-shaped balusters. Above the stair is a square panel in the ceiling
with a trompe l'oeil painting of circa C17 Italian type, the figures leaning over a
square balcony with a blue sky above. A circa early C20 balustrade has been added to
the first floor in the corridor extension. Complete C18 2-panel doors in front
range. The room on front right has complete original shutters and raised and fielded
panelling. The central room has been partly divided with later partitions
introduced; the raised and fielded panelling survives in part with the bolection
moulded chimney-piece and a painted panel above dated 1903. The top left-hand room
retains the original bolection moulded chimney-piece with pilasters flanking the
central panel above. Directly to rear (north) of this room is a further bedroom with
late C17 moulded cornice and chimney-piece with datestone 1696 in the capitals of the
pilasters above. The central panel is painted with a still life in oil.
The roof structure above the front range has been largely replaced in the C19 and
C20. The earlier principals appear to have been halved, lap-jointed and pegged at
the apices, chamfered, probably below the collars and had trenched purlins. In the
rear left-hand wing the principals appear to have been partly halved, lapped and
pegged at the apices although a full inspection of this part of the roof was not
accessible.
Croan passed from the Crowan family to the Roscarrocks and then to Edward Hoblyn who
died in 1704.
Dalton Clifford, H 'Far from the Madding Crowd', Country Life July 28 1960.
Maclean, Sir J Parochial and Family History of the Deanery of Trigg Minor, 1876.
Stoate, T. L. Cornwall Hearth and Poll Taxes 1660-1664.
Estate map in possession of Miss D. Tremayne.

Listing NGR: SX0296671596

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17531878

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
• 
  Gwent/Monmouthshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Wales)
• 
  Worcestershire Revised Edition (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook 2 Books Bundle Collection (Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair,Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability)
• 
  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Wiltshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)