Kelly House, Kelly, Devon

Description

SX 38 SE KELLY KELLY

5/78 Kelly House
-
14.6.52
GV I

House. The main west block of 1742 to 1745 by Abraham Rundle of Tavistock is linked
to the remains of the C16 and C17 house which was used as an east service wing after
1742.
East wing C16 and C17. Rendered stone with slate roof gabled at right end and
hipped to the front over the porch at the left, stone dressings. Massive lateral
projecting stone stack; 1 rendered stack on ridge with a pair of diagonally-set
shafts; second stack on ridge with a pair of axial shafts. a 4-bay block in the
centre has an early to mid C16 roof and may have been an open hall associated with
the rear lateral stack with an inner room to the right. The floor may have been
inserted in the C17 when the house was refenestrated. Also of the C17 is the 2-
storey porch, the lower end of the house was probably dismantled in 1742 to 1745 when
the old house was adapted as a service wing. In the C19 the first floor was
refenestrated with timber mullioned windows probably preserving the C17 apertures. 2
storey. 1 + 2-window front with a 2 storey projecting porch on the front at the left. 2
To the right of the central hall block the front is slightly advanced under a sloping
slate roof, probably indicating a demolished wing. Round-headed C17 ashlar porch
doorway with voussoirs, keystones, and the arch supported on square-capitals. Ground
floor window to right of porch is a 6-light C17 stone mullioned window with 8 square
leaded panes per light and 2 casements. Similar window to the right has a more
prominent king mullion. 3-light C19 timber mullioned window above porch doorway has
10-panes per light. Similar 8-light window to right of porch has 12-panes per light;
similar 6-light window, 12-panes per light above inner room.
Interior 3 moulded arched brace trusses with principals with curved feet and 3-tiers
of moulded stopped purlins. To the front of the house the principals have been
truncated above the lower tier of purlins, presumably when the first floor was
fenestrated, leaving only 2-tiers of purlins. Massive ground floor fireplace to the
rear lateral stack has applied C19 lintel and jambs and was probably adapted when the
room was used as a kitchen. C17 panelling intact. 1 C17 granite moulded fireplace
to chamber above inner room.
West wing: A classical house of 1742-45 by Abraham Rundle, built at a cost of £250.
Stucco blocked out over stone rubble or brick. Hipped slate roof with central valley
and 4 stone stacks on ridge. The plan is of 5 rooms around a rear central stair
hall. The position of the original main entrance is puzzling. It may have been on
the west front leading through the hall into the stair hall, but the present west
front has only a modest garden entrance. In the late C19 a porch and butler's
passage were added on the east, the porch leading directly into the great parlour and
the passage leading to the service rooms. 2 storeys. 5-bay symmetrical garden (west)
front with plinth, platband, rusticated quoins and eaves cornice above dentil frieze.
The central 3 bays are slightly advanced below a pediment with dentil frieze and
keyed oculus. Steps up to modestly-scaled central doorway of pilasters and
entablature with triglyth frieze. First floor window above doorway has a moulded
eared architectrave with a moulded keystone. Other windows plain with keystones, C19
horned sashes throughout. Venetian stair window with central sash with margin
glazing on east wall, the flanking lights set within heavy pilasters supporting an
entablature, the central light with round-arch and keystone. The late C19 porch on
the east wall at the left is in a sympathetic style with a pedimented gable, quoins
and a platband. 2 leaf panelled door below a round-headed fanlight with glazing bars
and stained glass. Round-headed sash window with margin glazing to left return of
porch, 2 similar windows to butler's passage.
Interior A remarkably complete 1742-45 interior with all joinery, fireplaces and
cornices intact. The stair hall is especially fine with an internal broken pediment
to the stair window with a plaster cherubim above, a painted decorated plaster
ceiling and a dog leg stair with panelled dado, ramped handrail, barley sugar
balusters and fluted newels. 1 upstairs room retains some of what is probably a C18
colour scheme of grey and pink on the panelling. The first floor room above the
former servants' hall has a variety of C17 panelling probably reused from the old
house. In 1877 a partition wall between the common parlour and a closet was removed,
and in 1877 a 2-bay 2-storey organ room was added to the north of the house.
A circa late C18 painting shows the main entrance on the south side but this may
never have been executed. The Kelly archive preserves an estimate for work to be
done dated 1742, a memo of work to be done dated 1743 and 4 accounts for masons',
architects', glaziers', plasterers' and carpenters' work dated 1742-45. Abraham
Rundle leased one of the Kelly houses in the parish from A Kelly in 1746 and 1753.
The Kelly Archive, E 4/7-9, EL 3/46, EL 3/42.
The Kellys were established at Kelly at the Conquest, being decended from Motbert,
who held the manor in 1086, and still live at Kelly House. The survival of an
important early to mid C16 roof in the east wing, and the quality and completeness of
the C18 interior make this an outstanding building.

Listing NGR: SX3943181407

External Links

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British Listed Buildings

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Kelly House

A Grade I Listed Building in Kelly, Devon

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