Description

SX 07 NW ST KEW
5/182 Trewane (previously Trewarne)
25.10.51
GV II*
Manor house. Possibly early C17. Built for Nicholls family. Ashlar and stone rubble
with large granite quoins and dressings. Scantle slate roof with hipped ends to main
range; regular slate roof with gable end to rear wing on right (east) and stair tower
in angle of main range and rear wing with scantle slate roof and hipped ends. Rear
lateral, originally axial stack to rear of parlour on left (west); circa early C17
granite ashlar with moulded strings and moulded granite cap. Axial hall stack at
junction of main range and rear stair tower; granite ashlar with moulded cap removed.
Circa early C17 axial granite stack with moulded cap on rear (east) wing. Circa C20
brick stack rising from valley at junction between east wing and stair tower, heating
the dining room and main chamber above.
Main range faces south; wide through passage in great parlour at lower side on left
(west) and hall on higher side on right (east). Dining room in rear wing behind hall
and stair in tower to rear in angle between hall and dining room. A service range
was demolished and continued in a wing to the rear of the parlour.
The great parlour is heated by a rear lateral stack, originally an axial stack prior
to the demolition of the rear service wing. The weathering on this stack indicates
that the service range was lower and continued at right angles to the main range.
The hall fireplace on the north wall is heated by an axial stack which backs onto the
stair projection. The dining room fireplace on the west wall is served by a stack
positioned in the valley running between the rear wing and stair projection.
Entrances to the stairtower lead from the dining room and hall. In circa late C18 or
early C19 a 2-storey lean-to range was added to the rear of the through passage.
This provided access to the stair from a corridor running at right angles to the rear
of the passage. On the first floor it also provided access to the stair from the two
chambers above the great parlour. This addition was probably contemporary with the
demolition of the service range which would have probably housed the second stair.
The two storey main range and east wing has been suggested by Maclean, Gilbert and
Dalton-Clifford to have originally had a third storey. This is possibly indicated by
the truncated three-storey stair tower and the string-course above the first floor.
However, the early C17 roof structure remains intact and the house is more likely to
have had a parapet arrangement above the moulded string course. Evidence for the
reduction in height of the stair tower is indicated by several truncated blocked
windows and the possible remains of a stone newel stair which would have provided
access to a third floor A tower such as this would be fairly common in an early C17
house of this quality.
Symmetrical five window south front with moulded granite plinth and strings. Central
entrance with 4-centred granite arch with roll mould, vase-ball stops and incised
spandrels. Hoodmould with possibly Maltese crosses in dripstones. Two lofty 4-light
mullion and transom windows light the great parlour on the left and hall on the
right. First floor with five 3-light mullioned windows. East elevation to rear wing
on right with two lofty 4-light mullion and transom windows on ground floor, the left
hand window lighting the hall and the right hand window the dining room. Three 3-
light muillion windows above.
Rear elevation with stair tower rising above main range. Several mullion windows
blocked. Wall to rear of great parlour rebuilt when service wing demolished.
Kitchen added in single storey range to rear of east wing in mid C20; stone rubble
with hipped slate roof.
Interior: High ceilings throughout ground floor with unmoulded ceiling beams. Wide
through passage with entrances slightly offset. Rear entrance of original range with
4-centred granite arch with ovolo moulding on north side. Great parlour remodelled
in C19 and C20 with C20 grate. Hall lit by three mullion and transom windows; large
granite fireplace on north wall with chamfered jambs and lintel and outer roll
moulded frame.
To left of the fireplace the door leading into the stair tower has a four-centred
granite arch with hollow chamfer and incised spandrels. The circa early C17 double
lapped oak door has been restored with the framing removed and front skin replaced.
To right of the fireplace the door leading into the dining room has a similar 4-
centred granite arch. In the dining room the circa early C17 granite fireplace has
been reused from elsewhere in the house and has chamfered jambs and lintel with roll
mould. The lintel is decorated with an incised triangular motif and central carved
rosette. Above a plasterwork achievement in high relief with arms of Nicholls
impaling mohuns, to commemorate the marriage of the 4th John Nicholls with Brigett,
daughter of Sir Reginald Mohun in 1635. This achievement, which is of high quality,
was probably originally in the chamber above the great parlour (Described insitu by
Maclean in 1879). To the left of this fireplace is a door leading into the stair
projection. It has a simple four-centred chamfered granite arch with rounded stepped
stops. The early C17 oak door is of double construction with a scratch moulded
panelled frame and strap hinges. The iron studding has been removed.
The wide oak framed circa early C17 stair rises gradually with 1½ revolutions between
the ground and first floor, continuing to give access to the attic. Small bathroom
on landing between ground and first floor with C17 ovolo moulded oak doorframe.
The principal chamber above the dining room has a circa early C17 granite fireplace
with chamfered jambs and lintel, outer roll mould, incised central triangular motif
and ball finial. The circa mid C17 surrounding chimneypiece has a moulded
mantlepiece decorated with carved rosettes and the overmantle above is flanked by
Composite columns on tall bases. The circa mid C17 overmantle is of particularly
high quality depicting in plasterwork of high relief, a lively scene with Abraham
about to sacrifice Isaac. The text in a scroll above reads
Old Abraham Hold Thy hand
It doth suffice
God loveth obedience
More then sacrifice
The ceiling of this chamber has probably been lowered.
In the chamber above the hall a similar fireplace and chimneypiece is ornamented with
a plasterwork achievement in high relief. This circa mid C17 overmantle is also of
particularly high quality and the escutcheon carries the arms of the Nicholls. The
ceiling has been lowered and fragments of the ornate plaster frieze survive in the
attic above.
The partitions to the chambers above the parlour have been remodelled and a circa mid
C17 fireplace is now positioned in a corridor along the north wall.
The circa early C17 roof structure remains almost intact; the principals are
chamfered and stopped, mortices at the apices and morticed into tie beams.
The purlins are trenched (now replaced) and collars have-been introduced. The roof
structure to the north of the east wing was not inspected.
First records of the estate appear to date from 1304. It came into the possession of
the Nicholls family in the early C16 and Maclean suggests that Charles II sheltered
in Trewane in 1646. C19 descriptions of the house record plasterwork of high
quality; Hitchens and Drew in History of Cornwall, 1817, describe the rooms as
"spacious and lofty with rich ceilings and cornices beautifully wrought, and the
walls highly ornamented with emblems of sacred and profane history in figures two to
five feet high in Plaster of Paris." Gilbert, in 1820, records that the hall was
"ornamented by curious carved work and many composition figures" including Justice,
Abraham, Isiah and King Solomon with numerous attendant".
This early C17 manor house with it's mid C17 plasterwork is of a high quality
especially rare in Cornwall.
Dalton-Clifford, H 'A Cornish Manor Rich in Legend' Countrylife, September 13,
1962, 576-577
Gilbert, C.S An Historical Survey of the Count of Cornwall 1817
Maclean, Sir J The Parochial and Family History of the Deanery of Trigg Minor
in the County of Cornwall, 1879
Information from owner.

Listing NGR: SX0403178583

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17534120

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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