The Post Office and Dwelling House Adjoining at South, the Drangway and Part of Passage to the East Between Church Square and Gibraltar Square

Details

SS 23 06 BUDE-STRATTON CHURCH SQUARE, STRATTON

13/170 The Post Office and Dwelling House
5-3-52 adjoining at south, The Drangway
and part of passage to the east
between Church Square and
Gibraltar Square.
GV II*

House, part of passage and Post Office. C16, C17 remodelling, C18 addition to
south, C20 alterations. Whitewashed and plastered, probably cob, with slate roof
and brick chimneys. The C16 build was probably a 3-room cross or through-passage
plan. The through-passage survives as the rear of the passage between Church
Square and Gibraltar Square, marked by 2 granite arched doorways. The kitchen was
probably on the site of Gibralter House (q.v.), Gibralter Square being the rear
courtyard. In the early C17 the house was remodelled with a parlour in place of
the hall on the ground floor, heated by the original front lateral stack and a
grand first floor room above heated from the same stack with an elaborate plaster
chimneypiece and decorated plaster walls. In the C18 a wing was added to the
south (rear) right forming an L plan. The east end of the early C17 parlour and
room above is now part of The Drangway, the parlour is partitioned between what is
now the Post Office and the living accommodation. An inserted ceiling leaves part
of the first floor chimneypiece in the attic which also contains the remains of
plaster decoration in the west gable wall.
The Post Office and dwelling house adjoining at south: 2 storeys. 3 window front
to Church Square with Post Office shop front with central front door. First floor
windows three 4-pane C20 timber sashes. Gabled attic dormer in centre. Rear
window lighting former hall retains granite chamfered lintel and jambs and was
formerly a 3-light mullioned window. Ground floor room left has partially blocked
fireplace with chamfered fireplace beam intact behind C20 fireplace. C16
linenfold panelling probably re-used from C16 build to window recess. Circa early
C17 oak ceiling with boards and pattern of lozenges in applied moulding continues
into present Post Office ceiling painted white in Post Office. Well to former
newel stair to rear right of Post Office. First floor room left has partially
blocked fireplace with early C17 elaborate decorated plaster chimneypiece
consisting of consoles supporting entablature with plaster vine and rose carving
and plaster heads. Above the entablature are 2 rounded decorated pilasters
framing scroll decoration around a central mermaid holding a mirror and probably a
comb. The pilasters are built up around wooden posts visible in the attic. The
west gable wall in the roofspace is decorated with a pattern of plaster lozenges
with ogival wings with ornamentation of heads and vinecarving. Roof trusses have
cambered collars mortised into principals and 2 tiers of trenched purlins. Some
evidence of fixing for barrel ceiling. The roof trusses may predate the plaster
work. Shop front of Post Office projects on internal iron columns. Important
survival of richly-decorated early C16 Cornish townhouse.
The Drangway and part of passage to the east between Church Square and Gibraltar
Square: House including part of passage way from Church Square to Gilbraltar
Square. House late C18, may be earlier to rear. House stone rubble to first
floor level on front, rendered and colourwashed above, slate hung and painted on
right return of front. Front part of house has hipped slate roof with brick stack
at west, roof to rear adjoins the Post Office to the west and Gibraltar House to
the east. 2 storeys. 3-window front with passageway to Gibraltar Square on front
at left. Central front door under concrete lintel that continues above former
shop window on front at right. First floor windows left and right hornless sashes
8 panes above 8 panes. First floor middle window 16-pane fixed window. Interior
not inspected. Passageway to Gibraltar Square has 2 granite arches. The C16
arched doorway half way through the passageway has moulded jambs and leaves carved
in the spandrels (q.v. The Post Office, passage and dwelling house at south). The
Drangway was formerly one property with the C16 house behind (now Post Office and
dwelling house at south) and was presumably a polite addition to face Church
Square.


Listing NGR: SS2309606445

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Legacy System number:

64750

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