Description

FALMOUTH

SW8132SW GROVE PLACE
843-1/11/100 Arwenack House, Nos.1-5
22/07/49 (Consecutive), and Arwenack Manor

GV II*

Great house, for a time semi-fortified, now flats in Arwenack
House and a house in Arwenack Manor. 1385 acquired by the
Killigrews, mostly rebuilt 1571 by Sir John Killigrew, 1st
Governor of Pendennis Castle (qv); partly destroyed by fire
and reduced during the Civil War and partly rebuilt after,
extended C18; neglected during the 1970s, eventually suffering
a serious fire at the Manor end, and in 1978 repaired by Percy
Williams, builders, of Redruth.
Killas rubble with granite dressings; scantle slate roofs; C17
external rubble stack to right of Manor; 2 tall C17 external
lateral stacks to right of right-hand cross wing; 3 later
brick stacks.
PLAN: originally probably an E-shaped plan with a wing at the
far left (not extant), the right-hand part once fully enclosed
by a front curtain wall with gateway or possibly a gatehouse;
C18 front ranges towards left and at far right, with front
semi-circular stair turret between cross wing and front wing.
Most impressive, but possibly never completed or reduced, is
the front wall of proposed or former great hall with flanking
semi-octagonal turrets parallel to rear of left-hand
courtyard. In the C18 the right-hand range of the right-hand
courtyard was doubled within the courtyard concealing the
mullioned windows and part of the adjoining rear range was
rebuilt. At about the same time the central range was also
doubled on its left obscuring part of the Great Hall wall.
This C18 wing was badly damaged by the fire and was
subsequently removed re-opening the former space within the
left-hand courtyard. The right-hand side of this courtyard has
been rebuilt with no attempt at replica or pastiche
architecture but in a simple late C20 style which respects the
ancient house.
EXTERIOR: principal elevation of the house is the Great Hall
wall dominated by an enormous pair of 6-light transomed
mullioned windows, each window subdivided by a king mullion.
The flanking turret windows continue in line with the top
lights of the hall window, 2 lights to a face. Beneath each of
these windows is a moulded 4-centred arched doorway with
square hood-mould and label stops. Other elevations are
2 storeys. Road frontage of the left-hand range has C20-copy
pair of 16-pane sashes to each floor; on the right is a C16 or

C17 4-light-plus-sidelights oriel window with weathered
parapet; C20 mullions. At far left is a courtyard wall with 2
doorways: chamfered square-headed doorway with hood-mould on
the left and wide low 2-centred arched doorway; 2 reset
corbels above, surmounted by C17 ball finials. Right-hand
return of this block has chamfered basket-arched doorway high
up for access to former curtain wall walk. Right of the stack
is a 2-window range with hornless sashes with glazing bars;
towards left are 2 4-centred arched chamfered doorways.
4-window range at rear of courtyard also has sashes with
glazing bars; doorway to link wall on the left, another
doorway under 2nd window; C20 3-light mullion at far right.
C18 3-window range right of courtyard has casements with
glazing bars; arched heads to ground-floor windows; central
latticed porch. Road-frontage elevation on the right is an
irregular 5-window range: hornless sashes with glazing bars to
1st-floor left and on right with 2/2 sashes; C16 or C17
4-light mullion over 3-light mullion to front end of cross
wing left of centre and on its right a conical-roofed turret
with original slit window and a 2-light mullion under the
eaves. Right-hand return of cross wing is a 3-window range
with irregularly disposed C18 casements with thick glazing
bars.
INTERIOR: manor part has C17 splayed fireplace and rounded
corbels of oriel window. Other part has several old
fireplaces, one with an oven; mullioned windows to the former
outer wall and some simple C18 pine panelling and moulded
plaster ceiling cornice in one chamber.
(Toyne D: Arwenack (an historical guide resulting from study
of repair): 1978-; Kelly: Kelly's Directory of Cornwall:
London: 1910-: 106).

Listing NGR: SW8122832310

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17533752

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.

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