Details
HALBERTON
ST 01 SE
3/148 Bridwell Park
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5.4.66
- I
Country house in landscaped park. 1776-80; architect unknown, built for Richard
Hall Clarke who may have had a hand in the design. Plastered brick. Hipped slate
roofs. Deep rectangular double-depth plan with central entrance hall, and stairwell
at the rear, with one probably contemporary rear wing. 3 storeys. Modillion
cornice parapet and plat bands between floors run around the whole.
Front: symmetrical, 2:1:2 bays, the central bay advanced slightly, the modillion
cornice also breaks forward and rises in to an open pedimented gable; this bay with
Venetian windows to first and second floors, with horned sashes; main entrance
porch with clustered pilasters at angles that break through the cornice to form the
merlons of parapet; single lancet window to each side of porch, round headed
doorway with keystone and panelled door with semi-circular barred fanlight. Side
bays with 12-pane horned sashes to all floors. Left-hand elevation, 6 bays, the
first bay from the front blind: small 12-pane sash windows to second floor, taller
12-pane sash windows to ground and first floors. Right-hand elevation, 3 bays, the
front bay blind, 12-pane sashes to first floor, 6-pane sashes to second.
Asymmetrical fenestration to rear, mostly 12-pane horned sashes, with a Venetian
window lighting stairwell. 2 large stacks, with modillioned cornices, set behind
the roof ridge have been replaced by replicas (1985).
Interior: the main rooms are (i) the oval entrance hall, (ii) front reception room
to the left of this (drawing room), (iii) front reception room to the right
(parlour), (iv) the dining room occupying part of the wing and (iv) the stairwell
hall.
(i) the oval entrance hall. Inner door, panelled with semi-circular barred
fanlight, flanked by rather unusual glazed squinches. Plaster cornice and a ceiling
with a solid white plaster central ornament radiating out from central boss, the
ribs with pineapple motifs at each end; blue background, and sand-coloured walls
appear to be faithful to original scheme. Doorways to adjacent rooms with panelled
reveals and doors.
(ii) drawing room, with original internal shutters, dado, skirting and doorway
mouldings; ceiling design is unusual and of high quality workmanship, a central
roundel fringed with arcs which are balanced by drapery swags which curve in the
opposite decoration; fronds extend containing musical instruments in panels; border
of urns and leaf swirls. Chimneypiece with cornice and architrave of white marble
and a frieze of blue john with a panel of Cotham stone. Round-headed recesses to
either side.
(iii) parlour, with original fixtures (as drawing room); ceiling with central
foliated roundel, the outer circle divided into 16 sections containing urn and swag;
zig-zag and arcs of fronds to margin; cornice of guilloche. Chimneypiece,
Gothick, ogee-headed with fossil marble outlined in black. Opposite this is a pier
glass, oval, surmounted by the Clarke crest.
(iv) dining room, much more simply treated with 2 panelled ceiling beams, moulded
cornice, alcoves to either end. This room could well be later.
(v) stairhall. Well stairs with simple balusters and turned rail; plaster
cornice; arch at the stair head, wide shallow supported by fluted pilasters;
similar arches give access from landing to first floor corridors and plainly
decorated bedrooms.
Second floor rooms (now largely re-ordered) reached by rear stairs, with stick
balusters. This is a fine country house which retains much of its exquisite
internal decoration.
References: J Cornforth, 'Bridwell, Devon', Country Life, 19 March 1981
A P Hughes, A Short History of Bridwell and the Family of Clarke (1968),
unpublished typescript in West Country Studies Library.
Listing NGR: ST0584312580
