Mudgeon Farmhouse, St. Martin-in-Meneage, Cornwall

Description

SW 72 SW ST MARTIN
-IN-MENEAGE
4/222 Mudgeon Farmhouse
-
10.7.57 II

Farmhouse. Probably some C16 core, extended in the early C17 and probably late C17,
remodelled slightly in circa early C18, partly reroofed in the C19 and the lower end
and one of the circa early C17 wings demolished. Shale rubble walls, some dressed
granite to one C17 doorway and some C17 mullioned windows; cob to 1st floor of circa
late C17 service wing. Mostly grouted scantle slate roofs with gable ends. Original
lateral rubble stack to left hand wall of parlour, brick shaft over circa C16-C17
lateral stack at rear of hall, taller brick chimney over C18 back parlour cross wall
and brick chimney over gable end right and over gable of service wing.
Plan: probably in the C16, and possibly earlier, a 3-room through passage plan; the
higher and lower ends extended with wings at right angles to the front in the circa
early C17. The left hand wing as the parlour and the right hand wing probably a
service wing. In probably the late C17 a bakehouse wing with large fireplace and 2
bread ovens (one is later), was added. In circa the early C18 the left hand (inner
room) of the original house was remodelled as a stair hall and a small panelled
parlour was added behind, partly under an outshut in the angle and partly in the
service wing. The hall has undergone several changes: refloored in the C17 (or
floored), the front wall partly or completely rebuilt and remodelled several times; a
large fireplace inserted at the lower end partly blocking the original through
passage and making the original rear lateral fireplace redundant (now blocked). When
the right hand (lower end) room and the service wing in front were demolished is
uncertain but traces of a wing were seen by Charles Henderson in the 1930's; however
local tradition holds that the wing was never finished (Chesher).Some C17 granite
mullions are reused as a path kerb approaching the front door.
2 storeys. Regular 3 window north-east front of original hall and gable end of
projecting parlour wing, left, plus small open front lean-to on right in the position
of the original lower end of the house. The rubble wall of the hall front shows much
evidence of alteration and the present openings, all with wooden lintels, are C18 or
later altered except for the one to ground floor middle with scratch moulded lintel,
probably late C17 with circa early C19 hornless 20 pane sash. The doorway, left, has
old 4-panel door with round arched upper panels and plain rectangular overlight.
Ground floor right, much rebuilt is blind except for square vent. The window over is
a greatly heightened opening but now aligns with the other 1st floor opening. All
with 16-pane horned sashes.
The C17 parlour wing north-west front is the best feature of the house with central
6-light mullioned window to ground floor and 4-light mullioned window over. Alternate
king mullions and square hoodmould over the ground floor (parlour) window. The
mullions are hollow chamfered and the king mullions have a central fillet. The
central common mullion of the parlour window has an internal pier hollow chamfered
within and corbelled out at the top to carry the internal lintel. The leaded
casements are original with much of the original C17 glass.
At the rear of the parlour (SE wall) to the left of the C17 external parlour stack is
an irregular arrangement of 5 windows, those to the ground floor and 1st floor right
are original 2-light mullioned windows and the other two were cut in the C18. The
ground floor (midway) window is glazed but the other 2 C17 windows are blocked. The
glazed window and the 2-light casement over have circa late C18 horizontal glazing
bars and many original leaded panes between. The ground floor left hand window is
lower and the tall mid-floor stair window over has 18-pane horned sash.
At the rear of cross passage is a probably C17 square-headed doorway with straight
chamfers and stops.
The service wing has a bread oven projection at either side of the gable end, the
original one to the south.
Interior has some good C17 and C18 features: The parlour has splayed moulded granite
fireplace with diabolo stops and niche with arched head to the gable end wall. The
hall has large fireplace and blocked lateral fireplace. The wide cross passage
between the hall and stair hall has a C17 ovolo moulded oak cross beam with ogee
tongue stops and a C18 moulded plaster ceiling cornice to rectangular ceilings on
either side. The stair hall has circa early C18 open-well closed-string stair with
pulvinated frieze, fat column-turned balusters and moulded handrail running into
square moulded newel caps. Steeply tented plaster ceiling with moulded cornice and
central pendant over. The circa early C18 back parlour is completely panelled with
bolection moulded panels and moulded ceiling cornice; chimney-piece with similiar but
more robust mouldings and circa 1900 tiled iron grate. First floor partly inspected:
some old doors including C18 3-panel door. Roof structures not inspected but are
probably original except over the hall.
Mudgeon is one of the best C17 farmhouses in the western half of Cornwall.
Particularly notable are the parlour wing windows complete with glass. The C18
features are also of an unusually high quality.

Listing NGR: SW7378324994

External Links

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Mudgeon Farmhouse

A Grade II Listed Building in St. Martin-in-Meneage, Cornwall

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Description

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