Details
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SS 90 SW
8/47
CADBURY
Fursdon House
5.4.66
II*
Country house, the seat of the Fursdon family since at least 1259. C17 or earlier origins, thoroughly remodelled in 1732 by Richard Strong of Minehead for George Fursdon, alterations of 1792 ; library, principal stair and colonnade added 1813-18 by James Green of Exeter for George Sydenham Fursdon, 1970s and 80s modifications for David Fursdon.
Probably stone, cement-rendered and blocked out to the front elevation, roughcast to the rear elevation ; slate hipped roof behind parapet ; rendered stacks.
Plan: Georgian in appearance and many of its details but there is an early core to the house and much of the fabric may be C17 or earlier. The present plan consists of a H shaped south facing main range with west and east crosswings with a one room plan library addition at the west end and four irregular rear wings. The present entrance is into a heated entrance hall immediately to the right of the left (west) crosswing which is divided between the great parlour to the front and an open well stair to the rear. The right hand (east) crosswing is divided between a kitchen at the front and service rooms and a service stair to the rear.
Documentary evidence and C17 carpentry details uncovered during recent renovations indicate that the 1732 remodelling preserved the scale and general outlines of an earlier building. A will of 1652 suggests that the house was H shaped at that date with an open hall in the centre and storeyed wings, presumably the parlour wing to the west and a kitchen wing to the east. Carpentry details suggest the possible position of a cross or through passage to right of centre and also indicate a cruck construction for the building. In 1732 the front wall was rebuilt, a central entrance created and the east wing rebuilt, presumably to match the parlour wing and provide a symmetrical front elevation. The house was refenestrated with sash windows. A drawing of the house in 1774 shows a pedimented doorcase to the central entrance.
The next phase of important alteration was between 1813 and 1818 with James Green, the Country Surveyor, as architect. He added a fashionable severe Greek Doric five-bay colonnade on the front between the crosswings, moved the main entrance to left of centre into a small entrance hall, presumably releasing the 1732 entrance hall for use as a principal room, and adder the library at the west end. The open well stair, to the rear of the west crosswing also appears to be early C19. There have been minor modifications in the 1970s and 1980s including the conversion of rear service rooms to a small museum.
Two storeys. Symmetrical nine-bay front elevation with an additional slightly set back two- bay block at the left end, parapet with dentil cornice. The five central bays of the main range are recessed between the left and right two-bay crosswings with a five-bay Greek Doric portico with fluted columns and a plain entablature to the central five-bays. Symmetrically placed doorways to left and right under the portico. The first floor windows are three over six-pane sashes with thick glazing bars, the ground floor windows 12-pane sashes. The library block at the left has three over three-pane first floor sashes and 18-pane ground floor sashes.
The rear elevation is irregular with four gabled and hipped rear wings. The westernmost wing is the stair wing for the principal stair with a large tripartite sash stair window ; the easternmost wing contains the servants stair and has a paired sash window, 24 panes per sash with thick glazing bars. Most of the rear elevation windows are C18 and C19 sashes except for two ground floor circa C18 three-light casements with sqaure leaded panes and ornamental iron handles.
Interior Visible features from the pre-C18 building include some ground floor carpentry in the east end of the house including what appear to be cruck feet ; an ovolo-moulded C17 doorframe and several stopped beams. The great parlour, in the left hand crosswing, is entirely lined with grained Jacobean panelling with reeded Ionic pilasters and a deep strapwork frieze. The panelling is probably not in situ and although the chimneypiece is dated 1601, which may be the date of the carved figures in the overmantel the design of the actual surround is probably C18. There is a probably C16 roll-moulded chimneypiece in the entrance wall which was revealed in the late C19. The living room in the main range - the 1732 entrance hall - is finely proportioned with a plaster cornice and pair of doors on the west and east walls and an C18 chimneypiece with carving of fruit and an integral surround to a mirror in the overmantel. The entrance hall, with two Doric columns and a plaster cornice and the library are by James Green. The library is very complete with a plaster cornice, a black marble chimneypiece with Doric columns and recessed book-cases. The principal stair is open well and may also be Green's work, with stick balusters and a wreathed handrail. The service stair also has stick balusters but has turned newels and a ramped handrail. Other features of interest include first floor chimneypieces and joinery and a small first floor room overlooking the rear garden with early c18 bolection-moulded panelling.
The Fursdon family have lived at Fursdon since at least 1259. The house is a good example of a modestly scaled gentleman's house, very complete externally and internally, with considerable landscape value. James Green's contribution to the house is also important; he is best known as an engineer and his two previously recorded works as an architect were Buckland Filleigh House, Devon and St Davids Church, Exeter (demolished 1897). Both these buildings were designed in the Greek Doric manner and "give Green a place after Harrison of Chester as an early prophet of the Greek Revival in the provinces" (Colvin).
The Fursdon archive contains a numerous documents relating to the building history of the house.
Colvin, H., A Biographical Dictoriary of British Architects, 1600 - 1840 (1978) Fursdon, D., Fursdon (1984)
Listing NGR: SS9214904649
