Description

ALTARNUN
SX 28 SW
4/35 (1/1) Trerithick and garden walls to
1/12/51 front

II*

House and garden wall to front. 1575 and 1585 for John Hecks, partly remodelled in
the early C18. Stone rubble with granite dressings. Ashlar stone in rear wing.
Slate roof with hipped and gable ends. Stone rubble axial, lateral and end stacks,
several with original moulded caps.
Plan: The original arrangement is uncertain although it appears that by the end of
the C16 the house was already of considerable size. The main range to front is of a
3-room and through passage plan, the lower end heated by an end stack, the hall by a
front lateral stack and the inner room by a stack in the rear wall. The 2-storey
porch to front was added by John Hecks in 1585 (datestone). To front left, set at a
slight angle is a 4-room (or more) wing which appears to have been built in 2 phases
but is probably C17. To the rear of the main range the house has a further 2 ranges
which form a courtyard: the wing to the rear of the parlour appears to be of late C16
origins but was probably partly rebuilt above the gound floor in the early C18,
possibly contemporary with the stair projection adjoining, to the rear of the hall.
This rear wing returns with a second range running parallel with the main range;
although now disused this wing contains some late C16 dressed granite and originally
had a datestone of 1575, now reset in the front wing.
The roof structure is largely of the C17 and C18 and therefore, although there is
considerable documentation of an early house near or on this site, it is uncertain
how early the origins of this building are.
The house was remodelled in the early C18 with fine panelling and staircase.
Exterior: Two storeys. Asymmetrical 5-window front with gabled 2-storey porch to
left of centre and gabled end to cross wing of parlour on right. The 2-storey porch
has a roll moulded 4-centred arch with 'All DO 1585 BY M + IH' carved on lintel above.
Ovolo-moulded mullion and transom window above. Directly to right is the hall front
lateral stack which has a moulded cap. The hall is lit by an ovolo moulded mullion
and transom window with similar smaller window above. The gable end of the parlour
wing has been partly rebuilt with double mullion and transom windows on ground and
first floor. To the left, on the lower side of the porch, a small circa C17 or C18
addition possibly built as a stair projection and containing an C18 stair. The wing
to front left has several C17 mullion and transom windows and in the end wall is a
reset 4-light mullion window,, the lintel carved "ANNO DOMINI 1575 BY JOHN HECKS".
The courtyard elevation of the rear wing has dressed stone arches on the ground floor
with a moulded string and is constructed of fine quality ashlar stone on first floor
with dressed stone arches and mullion and transom windows.
The garden wall to front is of stone rubble with dressed granite and there is a
mounting block on front left.
Interior of especially fine quality with late C16 and early C18 features. Late C16
granite arch on lower side of passage and bolection moulded screen of circa 1700 on
higher side. The hall has complete bolection moulded panelling and a heavy moulded
cornice. The parlour and small room to rear (now a kitchen) are also panelled and
the parlour is heated by a fireplace with fine late C16 4-central arch with carved
spandrels. The circa 1700 stair to rear of the hall has turned balusters and a
ramped moulded rail; the dado rail opposite is complete. There are several late C16
and C17 granite chamfered fireplace sourrounds and heavy cross beams in the rear
wing. The roof structure is largely of the C17 and C18, renewed in the C20 in the
wing to rear, parallel to main range.

Listing NGR: SX2479682129

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17535158

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

• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects by Harwood, Richard (2012) Paperback
• 
  Kent: North East and East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Kent: West and the Weald: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Central Leinster: Kildare, Laois and Offaly (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)