Cockington Court

Details

TORQUAY

SX8963 COCKINGTON PARK, Cockington 885-1/16/372 Cockington Court 20/11/52

GV II*

Mansion set in its own landscaped grounds, now headquarters of Devon Rural Skills Trust. C16 origins (south-west wing dated 1577) when seat of the Carys. Sold in 1654 to Exeter merchant Roger Mallock. Extensive remodelling by Rawlin Mallock c1673. Top floor removed and interior refurbished by Rev. Roger Mallock c1820. Mostly local stone rubble, coursed in places with C19 brick dressings and earlier Beerstone dressings, main front of coursed Beerstone ashlar; red sandstone chimneyshafts; hipped slate roofs. PLAN: Main block faces south-east, double-depth with central passage to large rear stairhall. Main rooms to front with end stacks. Crosswings project forward each end with projecting lateral stacks. North-east wing with kitchen and service stair. EXTERIOR: 2 storeys with attics. Late C17 seven-bay classical front of C20 mullion and transom windows (some blockings at first floor level). Central doorway a marble round-headed arch with voussoirs and imposts. 6-panel door with round-head containing Y-tracery, side lights and glazing carried round head. Flanking fluted Corinthian columns (introduced from elsewhere) with plain entablature at first-floor cornice level. Eaves cornice below parapet. Front ends of crosswings have broad replacement 5-light timber mullion-and-transom windows with stone hoodmoulds and relieving arches, more on the inner returns (blind to north-east wing). The outer side of the south-west wing has an irregular 7-window front, mostly casements but includes a couple of 12-pane sashes and a tall arch-headed window containing Gothic tracery to the first floor corridor (similar window at the other end). The north-east wing includes several late C16 stone mullion-and-transom windows, one containing leaded glass but the others blocked or containing later windows. There is also, this side, a probably reset late C16 stone Tudor arch doorway with carved trefoil spandrels. Both crosswings show straight joins with later rear extensions. Rear, partly slate hung, contains mostly timber casements but large early C19 stone Gothic stair window with Y-tracery containing stained glass featuring The Seasons. INTERIOR: Most of interior shows result of C19 refurbishment, notably Gothic vaulted entrance passage to large stair well containing large open well stair, stone steps with iron balustrade. Most of C19 joinery and plaster detail remains. C19 Jacobean-style chimneypiece includes some late C16 marquetry. Late C17 ground-floor room right of entrance passage with bolection panelling and high relief moulded plaster ceiling. North-east wing contains most work earlier than C19 including remains of late C16 kitchen fireplace (ground floor front), late C17 panelling and late C16 granite fireplace (first floor front) and late C17 service stair; a dogleg stair with turned balusters. Cockington Court is part of an exceptional group of listed buildings both in the landscaped park (including the nearby Church of St George and St Mary (qv) and the vernacular buildings (including the Lutyens work) in the adjoining unspoilt village. (Buildings of England: Pevsner N: Devon: London: 1952-1989: P.835).

Listing NGR: SX8907663845

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

390573

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Pevsner, N, Cherry, B, The Buildings of England: Devon, (1989), 835
Pevsner, N, The Buildings of England: South Devon, (1952), 835

End of official list entry

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