Endsleigh House Including Terrace Wall to the South East and Wall to the North East

Details

SX 37 NE MILTON ABBOT ENDSLEIGH

9/215 Endsleigh House including terrace - wall to the south east and wall to 21.3.67 the north east

GV I

Formerly the residence of the Dukes of Bedford and known as Endsleigh Cottage, now in use as an hotel. Designed in 1810 by Sir Jeffry Wyatville for the 6th Duke of Bedford. Stone rubble with stucco blocked out with a variety of rustication, slate roofs, rendered diagonally-set chimney shafts, stone dressings. Described as "the outstanding and probably most nearly perfect surviving instance of a romantic cottage orne, devised for an aristocratic owner under the influence of the taste for the Picturesque" (Hussey). Crescent-shaped plan forming a semi-circular courtyard entrance with the garden elevation commanding extensive views across the Tamar and landscaped gardens by Humphry Repton. The garden elevation consists of 2 blocks linked by a curved terrace and colonnade. The east block contains the principal rooms with service rooms to the north. The colonnade links the east block to a smaller cottage at the west which was designed as a separate house for the children with a raised garden between the blocks. 2 and 3 storeys. The garden front of the principal block consists of a "triple-faceted nucleus" (Hussey). The east facing elevation is 3-storey with a shaped coped gable with a window with moulded stone mullions and a high transom with a stone parapet above with panels of ornamental iron work. Above this a 3-light timber mullioned window with high transom has a square- headed hoodmould. 2-light casement in the gable. The south west facing elevation, overlooking the raised garden has a battlemented parapet with segmental merlons. 2 ground floor stone mullioned and transomed canted bay windows share a common pent roof. The first floor has a statue niche containing a statue of the first Abbot of Tavistock Abbey. A projecting stack at the right end of this elevation has recessed panels of armorial bearings. The south elevation is picturesquely irregular with an asymmetrical front gable with decorative bargeboards and a rustic verandah to the right. 2 stone mullioned transomed ground floor windows, 1 a canted bay. The rustic verandah floored with knucklebones has a decorative timber eaves board and a recess for a rustic seat. 1 first floor oriel has timber mullions and transoms, 3 first floor half-dormers and 2 full dormers. The childrens block to the west is more regular and T-plan with a roof gabled at ends and half-hipped to a central wing. The eaves have decorated boards and a fine timber lattice verandah of a Regency character overlooks the raised garden which originally had a parterre with a central fountain which was designed by Repton and was a very early revival of a formal garden. A rustic verandah is in the right angle between the central wing and the north end. Renovations underway at time of survey (1985). The colonnade linking the west and east blocks has a scantle slate roof and stone piers replacing the original rough tree trunks. The entrance front has a semi-circular curve and a central stone portico with battered rectangular piers with moulded capitals below an entablature with a depressed pyramidal roof. Interior The 1810 interior is largely intact. The panelled entrance hall has a large stone fireplace with internal Gothick inglenooks with corbel seats and a timber lintel with blind tracery. The dining room has a grained wainscot below trompe Cloeil painting of blind Gothick tracery and numerous armorial bearings. The library is panelled with a contemporary marble chimney and double doors lead into the adjoining study which has a contemporary chimney piece and joinery. The contemporary stair has elaborate Gothick balusters alternating with stick balusters. The original heating system of hot air vents in marble panels survives in several rooms. Hussey suggest that the Duchess of Bedford was the driving force behind the creation of Endsleigh. A plaque in the stables (qv) states that she chose the site. The house took 6 years to complete and the final account, dated 1816, of payment to "Sundry Artificers" shows that Wyatville was paid £1,526.4s ll½d out of a total of £4,046.13s 1d. Full documentation of the building of the house including correspondence from Wyatville and Repton and monthly progress reports and accounts exists in the Bedford Estate Papers in the D.R.O., Devon Letters L 1258/82. Christopher Hussey, Country Life CXXX, 246; CXXX, 296.

Listing NGR: SX3910978596

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

92457

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Country Life in 10 August, Vol. 130, (1961), 296
Country Life in 3 August, Vol. 130, (1961), 246

Other
Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England, Part 11 Devon,

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