Launcells Barton

Details

SS 20 NW LAUNCELLS LAUNCELLS

5/39 Launcells Barton 29.9.61 GV II*

Farmhouse. 2 ranges of circa 1600 origin, adjoining block built between 1765 and 1777 by Sir John Call (q.v.Launcells Church) for his sister. Early ranges stone rubble with slate roofs, late C18 block stone rubble with long and short granite quoins and brick dressings, slate roof. Complex development apparent in plan of earlier ranges. Evidence that the original house was built on a north/south axis and demolished at the higher end of the through passage, which is largely intact. Below the through passage the present circa 1600 house consists of 2 adjoining ranges running west/east and parallel to the through passage. A truncated projecting stack on the west wall (now the end wall) was probably the stack to the lower end of the original through passage house. Sir John Call is said to have demolished part of the old house and reused the stone in his design, forming, presumably, service rooms in what was left of the old house. The Call house is double depth in plan with a staircase in the central hall. Stairs link the Call house to the old house. Front of early house is 2-storey hipped at left end, break in plane of front and large granite quoins indicate alterations. Enclosed stone porch has slate gabled roof and 4-centred brick arch to outer doorway. Ground floor window to left of porch tripartite timber sash glazing bars rehung as casement opening horizontally under a timber lintel. Ground floor window to right of porch 9 pane timber sash. First floor window left, timber sash, 6 panes per light, window above porch and high under eaves, pair of timber sashes inserted in one aperture with timber mullion. Each sash 9 panes per light. Late C18 adjoining block of 2 storeys and basement with hipped roof with central gulley. 3 bay front. Double flight of steps up to front door with original painted turned balusters and ramped handrail. Basement lit by 2 oculi with glazing bars, brick surrounds and arches to oculi. 2-leaf glazed front door with 16 panes under fanlight with glazing bars. Doorway has small entablature on tall consoles with enriched paterae. Venetian windows to either side have brick arches, timber sashes with glazing bars. Platband at first floor level. First floor windows under brick arches are 3 timber sashes, 6 panes per light. Extremely tall stair window on left end lights stair linking Call build to earlier house. Tall rear stair window has round-headed timber sash with glazing bars and marginal glazing. Interior. Rear range of earlier house has arched doorway and massive timber arched door into east end of former through passage, passage partly altered as dairy. C18 plaster barrel ceiling over stair, circa 1600 roof. First floor room left of front range has large fireplace with chamfered granite lintel. Circa 1600 roof with collars mortised into principals. Interior of late C18 build has open well stair with turned balusters and ramped wreathed handrail. Ground floor room left has moulded plaster cornice and dado. Ground floor room rear right panelled throughout with circa 1720s panelling possibly reused when parts of the earlier house were dismantled. Contemporary landscape painting in fixed frame on west wall of stair well. 6-panel doors throughout ground floor. West end of earlier house retains granite hoodmoulds to 2 first floor windows, 1 with label stops, and truncated projecting lateral stack with offsets. The remains of probably medieval carp ponds survive in the valley below the house. Launcells Barton was in the possession of Hartland Abbey and became a cell of the Austin Canons. It was purchased by the Chamond family (q.v. parish church) in 1553. It was eventually leased to the Reverend Cadwallader Jones whose brother-in- law, Sir John Call, designed the late C18 extension. Call also designed and rebuilt Whiteford House in Stoke Climsland, the seat of the Call family, in 1775, and, as High Sheriff of Cornwall, Bodmin gaol in 1779. Alastair Forsyth "Whiteford House", Duchy Digest, vol IV, Spring 1984, pp.30-37. A long description of Launcells Barton appears in Charlotte Hawkey's Neota, 1870s.

Listing NGR: SS2448505749

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

64852

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Hawkey, C, Neota, (1870)
Duchy Digest in Spring, (1984)

End of official list entry

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