Bochym Manor House

Details

SW 62 SE CURY

3/1 Bochym Manor House 10.7.57

GV II* Manor house. Circa late medieval, extended circa mid-late C17 and in 1699, partly remodelled or rebuilt in 1851. Serpentine ashlar, coursed dressed serpentine and serpentine rubble with granite dressings for principal architectural details. Dry Delabole slate roofs with ashlar chimneys of circa 1851 over gable ends and over gabled lateral stacks; roof gables over bay windows of principal front; lantern over stair and louvre over rear right gable end.

Plan: The original house was probably a 3 room and through passage plan, lower end to left. In the C17 a long cross wing was built at the higher right end, turning the original inner room into a stair hall, and adding a parlour to the front and service rooms at the rear. In 1699 the parlour wing was extended by a further parlour to the front and remodelled. The service rooms and the main parlour have 3 large lateral stacks on the outer side of the cross wing and there is a stack at the front gable end heating the second parlour. The original 3 room and through passage range was rebuilt in 1851, probably retaining the rear wall with its central lateral fireplace, but the plan was remodelled to form 2 equal-size principal rooms on either side of the central entrance hall. Also, probably in 1851, service rooms were provided in a shallower adjoining range parallel to the real and servants accommodation (Bochym Cottage, qv.) almost parallel in a range to rear and enclosing a small courtyard. Mostly 2 storeys with attics but the parlour wing is over a cellar or basement. 2 principal fronts: main east front and south parlour wing front adjoining to right and at right angles. Principal 1:1:1 bay east front is 1851 rebuild in serpentine ashlar (datestone on left-hand gable). Plinth, midfloor and eaves strings. Central pointed arched doorway with hood-mould; 4-light mullioned window with king mullion, over. Canted bay windows to ground and first floors, left and right surmounted by coped gables with ball finials. 3-light mullions with sidelights, the ground floor windows with transoms and the gables with vertical oval oculi with square hood-moulds. Gable end of dismantle C19 conservatory with chimney adjoins at left of rear. Parlour range east front of 1:1:1 bays has similar circa 1851 bay to middle but C17 4-light mullioned windows to left and right with central mullions only. Hoodmoulds over those to ground floor. Right-hand windows are taller and contemporary with the 1699 walling (datestone with initials B.R.M. in front gable end) but the left-hand windows are probably 1699 insertions to earlier C17 walling. C17 single-light windows to cellars. Right-hand side wall of cross wing (north) has three C17 2-light windows with 1 probably resited. A lean-to former stair turret, roughly middle has original C17 slit window. One large lateral, gabled stack, left of turret and 2 at right. Victorian lean-to, (now roofless) in front of the right-hand stacks, with C19 mullioned windows and 2 further ones with leaded glazing inserted to the left-hand stack at mid-floor level and further similar window to first floor between this stack and former stair turret. At far left are 2 openings spanned by C17 ovolo-moulded wooden lintels with ogee tongue stops. Windows facing into rear cobbled courtyard are 2- or 3-light casement with wooden latticed glazing bars, probably circa 1850. Interior Main range, remodelled in 1851, has the drawing room, left, in the French Empire style with ornate wall panels pilasters, door architrave and ceiling cornices; exposed chamfered cross beams and joists; dancing horseshoe chimney piece with cherub consoles and framed picture window on either side of fireplace to overlook conservatory adjoining gable end. The library, right, also with exposed and chamfered beam and joists and some linenfold panelling. The parlour wing contains a circa mid-late C17 stair, 2 fine reception rooms and chambers over all virtually complete and unaltered since built in 1699. The fine oak stair is open-welled with closed string column-turned balusters, ball finials and pendants to newels, and rises through 2 floors. The principal larger parlour has bolection moulded walnut panelling and moulded ceiling cornice; plaster ceiling with robust oval roll-moulded central feature modelled in high relief. An NMR photograph of 1952 shows a bolection moulded chimney-piece of simulated marble; now revealed in its place is an earlier C17 granite fireplace with chamfered lintel and jambs with ball over pyramid stops. The inner parlour (east) also with bolection moulded panelling but of pine. The chamber over, (clearly intended to be the principal chamber) has fielded oak panelling with moulded cornice and 3-panel doors with original hinges. The chimney piece has fluted Corinthian pilasters and complete entablature with modillions to cornice, all framing a granite fireplace with moulded jamb cornices. (The fireplace in the room below has similar granite frame). The adjoining room is larger with pine panelling and simpler details. A 'secret' closet or garderobe leads off in the north east corner utilizing space over a stair linking the inner parlour to the principal chamber. Bochym was the house of Winslade, one of the leaders of the Cornish Rebellion of 1549. (Former list description). Much remodelled in the C19, but in a style inspired by the original house. However, it retains a fine in the wing virtually intact externally and internally.

Listing NGR: SW6907920798

Legacy

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Legacy System number:

65160

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LBS

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