Description

WEEK ST MARY
SS 20 SW
1/75 Marhayes Manor, including
garden area wall adjoining at
29.9.61 north-east and running
parallel to north front

GV II*

Farmhouse, formerly manor house, stables and garden wall. Circa early-C17 build
incorporated into late C17 - early C18 house. Early C17 walls slatestone
rubble, late C17 walls Flemish bond brick with freestone dressings, slate roofs
hipped all round with central valley, brick chimneys may have been reduced in
height. Double depth plan with present east entrance into corridor, opposed
flights of stairs off centre of corridor. Further entrance on north front with
steps up to first floor doorway, doorway altered. Evidence that present house
is truncated survival or partial execution of 3-storey late C17 build with
ground floor service rooms. 2-storey, 5 windows symmetrical east front with
long and short rusticated quoins. Freestone architrave to C20 door. Ground
floor windows 3-light small pane casements with glazing bars are presumably
replacements under moulded brick soldier arches; 2-light casements in wooden
mullion and transoms windows on first floor. Alternate windows have freestone
architraves and stone sills. First floor window left retains proper arrangement
of small leaded panes. South front slatestone rubble to ground floor, brick
platband at first floor level, brick above, brick platband below eaves. Ground
floor window left, south front, renewed 3-light casement with glazing bars,
ground floor window right, south front, 2-light freestone mullioned window
slightly recessed with splay. First floor window left 12-pane sash at lower
level than other window openings, 1 blocked window. Ground floor room right has
large fireplace and remains of oven, coving above fireplace. Large dairy ground
floor room rear right has stud and brick wall, slate floor and slate-topped
benches. 4-centred chamfered granite doorway with pyramid stops to west front.
First floor room right has elaborate decorated plaster ceiling in high relief
with putti, birds, fruit and flowers, some elements supported on wires. Coving
above fireplace, deep, bolection-moulded skirting board. First floor room left
has more restrained plaster decoration and remains of plaster panelling on
walls. C17 stable block adjoining at south-west retains 2-light wooden
mullioned window. Late C17 Flemish bond wall to east and north of north garden
front. An aluminium flue rises on the north-west corner of the houses.
Marhayes is a Domesday Manor. Thomas and John Maris of Marhays were feoffees to
the deed of endowment of Week St Mary Grammar School (qv Old College). The
rebuild of the house may have been connected with the rise of John Rolle of
Marhays, born 1626, who was made a Knight of the Bath for assisting the
restoration of Charles.
Source: Polsue, Parochial History of Cornwall, Truro (1870)

Listing NGR: SS2419000818

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17555615

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2
• 
  Farrow & Ball How to Decorate: Transform your home with paint & paper
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Buildings of England)
• 
  This Old House: Restoring, Rehabilitating, and Renovating an Older House
• 
  Staffordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Liverpool: Pevsner City Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)