Clock House, Stover School

Details

TEIGNGRACE STOVER PARK SX 87 SW

7/222 Clock House, Stover School - 23.8.55 GV II*

Stable block to Stover House now classrooms. Circa 1830. Probably built for eleventh Duke of Somerset. Carboniferous limestone ashlar some slatestone and brick under dry slate roof. Large Neo-classical quadrangle of stabling, coach houses and usual appturtenances. Built on sloping ground, 2 storeys and 3 storeys at rear (north west). Symmetrical entrance range to south of 2 storeys with higher centrepiece gatehouse breaking forward slightly, as do the flanking pavilions, formed by the gable ends of the side ranges. 2 rendered axial stacks. The whole elevation shares a plinth and a first floor sill-band which becomes imposts to a high round-headed arch and returns along the sides of the carriageway. The archway has a key-block and an echinus moulded cornice completes the first stage: the second stage is square on plan with 2 offsets, clasping pilasters and a central circular clockface. Next a three-step base to a square cupola with clasping pilasters and 4 round-headed arches with raised architraves and key-blocks. Simple eaves cornice and low-pitched pyramid slate roof with lead-roll hips culminating in a ball-finial which carries a wrought-iron standard stayed by 4 scrolls: On top a weather vane of fox and hounds topped by a ducal coronet on a cushion. The terminating pavilions have low-pitched gables and tripartite hornless timber sash windows, those to the ground floor with 8 panes and those above with 2 panes over 4, both with flat lintels: the remaining windows are sashes with 16 panes in the ground floor and 4 panes over 8 in the first floor. The side elevations of limestone rubble retain some 16 pane sashes to match among C20 intrusions. The ground falls away quite steeply to the rear (north-west) which has a 3 storey symmetrical 7 window range with the centre bay projecting slightly under a low- pitched gable; Basement of slatestone rubble with plinth at window sill level and all openings with cambered heads. There is a wide central doorway flanked by 3 windows each side, the outer ones blind. Basement windows are 16 pane sashes. Continuous sill band to tall ground floor windows, which have sashes of 8 panes over 12. First floor windows are a mixture of late C19 and C20 casements. Entrance to the courtyard is through a tall 2 bay carriageway with thick outer round arch and thin inner one; between the 2 another of brick painted to simulate the limestone; blind arches to the side walls with two C20 doorways. 2 gates hung on outer arch have 6 beaded flush panels each with ramped copings. The floor of the carriageway and the yard is of granite setts draining to runnels. Within the quadrangle the north face of the south (entrance) range and the south face of the north (rear) range are single storey arcades. That to the entrance range was infilled in C20. 2 brick round arches on stone piers and impost blocks to either side of the gateway. Opposite is an open single storey full width brick arcade of 7 bays: over the centre arch, a sash window between clasping pilaster strips, the lower gable above perhaps altered. Behind this arcade 5 pairs of boarded carriage doors and a pedestrian door in the return at each end. The inward faces of the side (east and west) ranges were symmetrical and matching: 2-storey, 4-window fronts and a central slightly projecting bay under a low-pitched gable with first floor loading door in plain aedicule on brackets and blind walling below this; 16 pane sash windows. C20 changes are a central doorway to the west range and a flight of external concrete steps to the first floor door of the east range. Interiors and clock not inspected. C20 flat-roofed extension and conservatory on south face excluded from listing. A good and externally almost complete stable block probably built shortly after the eleventh Duke of Somerset bought Stover in 1829. It superceded the old stables (q.v.) east of the house.

Listing NGR: SX8365174111

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

84665

Legacy System:

LBS

End of official list entry