Description

LEZANT TRECARRELL
SX 37 NW
5/67 Trecarrel Manor
(formerly listed
1.12.51 as Trecarrel Mansion)

GV I

Manor house, now farmhouse. Early C16 on earlier site for Sir Henry Trecarrel,
left unfinished c1511 and then extended late C17 and late C18; later additions
and alterations. Hall range of granite ashlar to long sides with roughly coursed
slate-stone and polyphant to gable ends; roughly coursed slate-stone with granite
quoins to farmhouse range, mainly rendered to west side. Slate roofs. Basic
L-plan comprising hall range aligned south-west to north-east with evidence
for former or intended solar at south-west end and range at right-angles to
lower end, partly C16 but largely extended to north in C17. One storey with
moulded plinth to hall range, 2 storeys to remainder.
Hall Range: South side has tall 4-light window with ogee heads, transom, carved
spandrels and intersecting panel tracery to top. 2 similar 4-centred 3-light
windows to right, right with square-headed 4-light window below, probably inserted
mid-C17, although mouldings and carved spandrels are reused early C16 work.
Slightly recessed moulded 4-centred arch-way to right is entrance to screens-
passage. Carved leaf spandrels with segmental tympanum above having carved
leaf decoration and Trecarrel's arms impaling those of his wife's family, Kelway,
to centre. C20 ledged door with internal strap hinges. Stepped buttress to
south-east corner, east wall largely rebuilt above south-east corner, east wall
largely rebuilt above granite blocks to base, top in mid-C20. Single-storey
lean-to abutting. North side has two 3-light windows corresponding with those
on south and moulded 4-centred arch with carved leaf decoration to spandrels
to screens-passage. Tusking to either side of windows and integral lateral
stack with tapering shaft immediately to right of right window. Neatly infilled
segmental arch to far right probably led to external staircase to intended or
demolished solar. Evidence for this solar is visible in west wall. Infilled
fireplace with large granite lintel to ground floor and fireplace with moulded
jambs and lintel with ogee-shaped cut at first-floor level to right. Also at
this level to left is outline of part of a round-headed arch, probably associated
with peep-hole visible internally. Tusking to right corner.
East (farmhouse) Range: East side has 2-storey lean-to running most of length
with straight joint to right, part to right being early C20. Main section of
lean-to has 4 small chamfered mullion windows on each floor (outer on first
floor with mullions removed), 2 to each side of moulded segmental arch with
C20 boarded door, all with wooden casements except inner right on first floor
which has leaded latticed lights. Windows and doorway have probably been moved
out from previous front wall. Section to right of straight joint has doorway
immediately to right and small casement on first floor to right. Main range
has small inserted integral brick end stack to left, large granite ridge stack
with chamfered drips and capping between third and fourth windows from left
in lean-to and slender integral lateral brick stack at junction with lean-to
(on line with straight joint); integral end stack to right is similar to ridge
stack. Lean-to projection beneath.
West Side: Section to left of ridge stack in 3 bays; tripartite horned glazing
bar sashes, those to ground floor with slate-stone voussoirs and keystones to
segmental heads. Central flat-roofed porch, reusing segmental head and carved
spandrels of earlier arch, has 6-panel door, boarded to bottom. Section to
right of ridge stack has infilled window on each floor to left and unhorned
tripartite sash on each floor to right, ground-floor openings both segmental
headed. Late C19 casement to far right on first floor.
Interior: Hall range has moulded arch-braced collar truss roof in 10 short
bays with moulded purlins forming 4 panels to each side of moulded ridge-piece.
Celure at lower end has St Andrew's Cross to each panel, upper 3 on each side
intersecting with foliated cross as at Church of St Michael, Lawhitton Rural
CP (qv); richly moulded wall-plate. Doorway to north corner of east wall leads
to former service end and has reset granite pillar adjoining in angle with north
wall. Integral lateral stack has richly moulded granite fireplace with ogee
cut to lintel and segmental-headed polyphant relieving arch. Fireplace with
wood lintel at first-floor level to west-end inserted after mid-C17 flooring
over at hall. Infilled rectangular slit peep-hole from intended solar to right
Slate floor of hall is C20 and is raised to former dais end. Farmhouse range
has infilled inglenook fireplaces, plastered-over ceiling beams, inset panelled
wall cupboards -and plank doors. Panelled window shutters to unhorned-tripartite
sash on ground floor to west side. North ground-floor room has richly decorated
wooden cornice. C19 dog-leg staircase in hall behind 6-panel door has slender
turned newels, stick balusters (2 to each tread) and carved open string. Further
plank and panelled doors on first floor and wooden spiral staircase to roof
space. This has C17 collar truss roof in 7 bays with through purlins to north
of ridge stack. Access not possible to south of ridge stack but this section
appears to have 5 jointed upper crucks, truncated to top, which are possibly
contemporary, with hall roof. Local tradition records that Trecarrel abandoned
work on the house in 1511 following the death of his infant son and turned his
attention to the rebuilding of the Church of St Mary Magdalene, Launceston,
which has the date 1511 on its south porch and several stylistic affinities
to Trecarrel Manor. It is likely that Trecarrel originally envisaged a courtyard
plan for his house but in the event only the south (hall) range and part of
the east range (the section with the upper cruck roof) was built. It is possible
that the east range was built as a detached kitchen block but positive evidence
is lacking. Although the great number of early C16 architectural fragments
on the site appear to be unused and were presumably abandoned on the cessation
of building work, more may have been built than now survives. The reference
to the chapel in 1405 (qv under Chapel of St Mary Magdalene) and the discovery
in 1987 of a Romaneque capital show that there were buildings here before Trecarrel
started work. The hall was probably still open to the roof in 1644 when Charles
I stayed here but was floored over soon after and later used as a barn. The
floor was removed and the hall restored in early 1960s. None of the hall windows
is grooved for glazing and all have iron bars with transoms to which glass would
have been fixed by twisted leading. Trecarrel was Mayor of Launceston in 1536
and 1543 and died in 1544.
Scheduled Ancient monument, County No. 577.
BOE pp 222-3; E M Jope, 'Cornish Houses, 1400-1700' in E M Jope(ed),Studies
in Building History (1961), pp 202-4, pl xx; W G Hoskins The Making of the English
Landscape (1977 edn), p 130 pl 30).

Listing NGR: SX3174978286

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17529432

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.

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