Holcombe Burnell Barton

Details

HOLCOMBE BURNELL HOLCOMBE BURNELL SX 89 SE

4/78 Holcombe Burnell Barton 11.11.52

GV II*

Manor house. Largely late C16/early C17 with some late C17 refurbishing and some survival of early C16 features. Substantial 1930s restoration. Heavitree stone rubble with some Beerstone, some timber windows, slate roof gabled at ends, projecting gable end stacks, projecting stacks at gable ends of wings, left return of main range and rear left wing roughcast. U-plan house of an approximately symmetrical main range, 1-room deep with a central cross passage with the hall to the left and parlour right; a rear corridor, and rear left and right wings forming a narrow rear courtyard. The rear left wing contains the old kitchen, the rear right wing a second parlour and fine first floor chamber. A projecting turret on the right return at the junction of the rear wing and the main range is in use as a porch. Although the fabric of the house appears to be consistent with a single-build late C16/early C17 house there are some earlier internal features and a section of wall projecting forward from the left-hand of the main range suggests that there was once a front left wing which no longer exists. Sir Thomas Dennis (1480-1561) built a house on the site and it is possible that the present structure is a contraction and remodelling of an earlier, larger house. In the late C17 part of the front range was refurbished and the rear corridor created. In the 1930s substantial restoration took place including some new timber windows copied from the old ones, a new hall window to the front range and some timber frame internal partitions. A single-storey kitchen was made, adjoining the right end and probably adapting a former dairy. A single storey rear entrance hall was added between the rear wings. 2 storeys. Approximately symmetrical 3-window front with regular fenestration of Beerstone ovolo-moulded mullioned windows with hood-moulds and square-leaded panes. The first floor windows are 4-light; ground floor window right 5-light under a relieving arch; ground floor window left, the hall window, is a 1930s sympathetic replacement, 5-light with a high transom and relieving arch. The central open porch has a sloping slated roof carried on stone cheeks which rise above the porch roof as buttresses with set-offs. Reused C19 Gothic front door to the cross passage. The left return of the main range has a similar Beerstone 3-light window, similar first floor window to the right return. The rear wings have timber and Beerstone mullioned windows all with square-leaded panes, the stone windows confined to the parlour (right-hand) wing. The garden elevation of the kitchen (left) wing has scattered fenestration of two 4-light, three 1-light and one 3-light 1930s copy window all with replaced timber hood-moulds. A small 2-light stone window on the ground floor of the wing (courtyard elevation) lights a curious cupboard adjoining the kitchen stack. The garden elevation of the parlour wing has one ground and one first floor 4-light mullioned Beerstone window (some replacement of mullions), a 3-light timber mullioned stair window and 2 timber 1-light windows. The courtyard elevation has a blocked ground floor Beerstone window and 2 first floor 1930s timber mullioned windows. The remains of a wall and a blocked first floor opening on the gable end of the wing suggest that there may have been an external stair turret giving access from the parlour to the first floor chamber above. A gabled 2-storey projection on the garden elevation of the parlour wing is used as a second entrance and clearly post dates the wing. Interior Numerous internal features of interest. The hall is largely late C17 with bolection-moulded panelling, an open fireplace with chamfered Posbury stone jambs with elaborate stops and a moulded timber lintel. 2 notable carved cross beams probably date from the early C16 - it is possible that they are reused, or they may have been retained from an earlier arrangement. They are vine-carved on the soffit with vine and foliage carving on the sides and unstopped. The parlour has a fine circa late C16/early C17 decorated plaster ceiling, (Period Two, French) with a geometric design of ribs enriched by tulips and other flowers. Plaster motifs on the walls include a representation of an owl; some of the motifs are probably C20 additions. The fireplace has Beerstone jambs carved with various motifs and a carved timber lintel with shields. The remains of a figure between obelisks survives on the rear wall of the fireplace. Fluted plaster pilasters in each corner of the room extend to the C20 panelled dado. The first floor room above the parlour has a fine overmantel, a plaster cartouche with an oval painting on plaster illustrating an allegorical scene, possibly God and Mammon (French). Both the ground and first floor have a number of good chamfered or moulded stopped doorways, some with circa 1700 2- panel doors. The 1930s work is of a high quality of craftsmanship and includes a bathroom entirely painted with artificial marbling. The design of the roof structure is unusual for the region and combines the use of pegs and rails; there are no principal rafters but closely-spaced common rafters halved and pegged at the apex with straight collars lap dovetailed into the rafters and fixed with nails. The rafters are fixed to timber wallplates, some with nails. The design of the roof is consistent, the wings being identical to the main range. An outstanding house with good interior features, the plasterwork is of especial note. French, Kathleen and Cecil, "Devonshire Plasterwork", T.D.A (1957), vol. 89, pp 124- 144.

Listing NGR: SX8591791607

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

400867

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Transactions of the Devonshire Association in Transactions of the Devonshire Association, Vol. 89, (1957), 124-144

End of official list entry

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