Description

PAUL KERRIS SW 42 NW 5/12 Kerris Manor Farmhouse including - front garden walls and rear courtyard walls GV II*

Manor farmhouse including front garden walls and rear courtyard walls. C17, possibly incorporating earlier walls. Remodelled at the front in 1721 for RP (Richard Pearce) (datestone over doorway) and extended in the C18. Granite ashlar front, otherwise granite moorstone rubble with granite dressings. Scantle slate roof with gable ends. Granite coped, gable ends to rear range. Original gable axial and lateral dressed granite stacks with moulded tops. Circa late-cl9 or early-C20 pierced crested clay ridge tiles. Plan: Large plan built-around a rectangular courtyard plus a short projecting wing set back on the left-hand side. Front (east) range was substantially rebuilt in 1721 and the internal features are probably of this date. There is a large parlour on the left, a similar sized room (now kitchen) on the right and a large central hall with externally projecting stair and fireplace at its rear. The front wall of the rear (west) range continues, at either side of the courtyard and is presumably one of the oldest surviving parts. There is a through passage (front and rear doorways) at left of middle. L-shaped range on the left (south) of the courtyard has many C17 features; right-hand (north) range had a small service room with axial through passage behind with C17 opening on its right. There is a stair beside the fireplace in the front right-hand room. Exterior: 2 storeys. Symmetrical 7 window east front with central doorway (second from left-hand first floor window opening and window opening over doorway blocked). C18 6-panel door with top 4 panels later glazed. Two C18 sashes with thick glazing bars right of doorway, otherwise circa early C19 12-pane sashes and some later copies, all in original openings. Ground floor openings have incised lintels to resemble flat arches with voussoirs. Later lean-to on left. North courtyard front of south range has C17 3-light freestone or elvan hollow-chamfered 3-light mullioned window to first floor. West front of rear range has C17 chamfered doorway left of courtyard front, blocked opening to first floor left and blocked chamfered mullioned window to ground floor right (within north range). Interior: Range set back on the left has C17 chamfered windows in the front, left- hand and rear walls. Front range has many features of 1721 including: complete panelled parlour with bolection mouldings and moulded cornice (repaired at west end in 1987 following fire); ovolo-moulded panelling and moulded cornice to rear wall of hall, left of stair; many doors with fielded panels and eared chimney piece in left- hand chamber. Stair has closed string and heavy turned balusters and appears to be circa late C17. Left-hand range and rear range have C17 chamfered and stopped ceiling beams and there are probably many features not inspected or hidden. Roof structures not inspected. Granite coped rubble walls enclose a rectangular garden at the front. Gateway aligns with doorway of the house and is flanked by gate-piers of reused dressed masonry which are integral with the garden walls. The piers have large chamfered caps and ball finials. Rear courtyard walls are taller, built of granite rubble and enclose 2 yards. Near the rear left-hand corner of the house is a C17 chamfered doorway, partly fallen. For a period until 1694 Kerris was in 3 different ownerships. In 1694 Richard Pearce brought the 3 parts and it was his son Richard (1693-1753) who carried out the last major alteration to the house which was completed in 1721 (datestone). In 1743 Richard Perce and his wife Maria were declared bankrupt and John Hawkins came into possession of the property. Kerris Manor Farmhouse is on an ancient site and is set in a beautiful coastal landscape rich in prehistoric remains including the unique Roundago nearby. Source: Historical information was extracted from copies of historical information from the CRO lent by present occupier.

Listing NGR: SW4430727155

External Links

• Wikidata Q17534954

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Recommended Books

• 
  [(Bedfordshire, Huntingdon and Peterborough)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1968)
• 
  Cork: City and County (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
• 
  Somerset: North and Bristol: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Period Property Manual (New Ed)
• 
  Cambridgeshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)