Description

ST GERMANS
SX 36 SW
2/70 Molenick Farmhouse
21.7.51
GV I

Farmhouse. Early C16, with additions probably of later C16, and C17, with
plasterwork dated 1652. Remodelled in the early C18, with C19 and some
alterations. Slatestone rubble, slate roof with crested ridge tiles and
gable end to left; hipped to right. Gable end stack to left end and rear
lateral hall stack, with brick shafts. Rear rendered and lined out.
Plan: 3-room and through passage plan. The lower end room to left heated by
a gable end stack, with chamber above. The open hall was probably originally
heated by the fireplace in the rear lateral stack and not by an open hearth.
The rear of the house may originally have been the front; there is what may
have been a 2-storey porch to the rear of the passage. In the later C16, a
wing was built, of one-room plan, to the front of the inner room to right;
this was also originally open to the roof, with smoke-blackened trusses
surviving. In the later C17, a rear wing of one-room plan was added to the
rear of the inner room; this was heated by a stack to the outer right side,
with plaster shield of arms dated 1652, which appears to be in situ.
Probably in circa 1700 - early C18, the hall was floored, with 2 windows in
the front a ground floor and a gable built over, for 2 windows, and a
fireplace, with stack rising from the apex of the gable. At this time a
straight stair was inserted to the rear right of the passage. The site of
the original stair is uncertain. In the mid C19, the original inner room was
largerly rebuilt, with a straight stair dividing to right and left, to give
access to the upper floors of the front and rear wings, with a passage at
ground floor leading to the rear wing. One jamb survives of the original
ground floor doorway to the front wing; this re-modelling also took up part
of the hall at this end, with a stud partition wall inserted. Probably also
at this time, a shallow rear addition was made behind the hall stack; this is
now inaccessible. Also at the this time in the C19, the rear wing was
enlarged, new windows inserted, and a small porch added to the front door.
In the C20, the doorway to the storied porch was replaced by a window, and
the ground floor of the porch used as a room. Few other alterations.
Exterior: 2 storeys, with lower end to left and hall to right of passage
doorway. The lower end has a 16-pane sash at first floor, with cambered
brick head. The door to the passage is C19, with cambered brick head and
flat hood on wooden piers, with dentils. Above the doorway is an early C18
sash, of 16 panes, with cambered brick head, the glazing bars flat-faced
outside and ovolo-moulded inside. To right, the hall has 2 similar early C18
12-pane sashes at ground floor, with cambered brick heads. At first floor, a
large gable, with brick stack at apex, and 2 C19 6-pane sashes with cambered
brick heads. To right and projecting to the front, the parlour wing, of 2
storeys; at ground floor this has C20 casement, and first floor C19 16-pane
sash. Attached to the right gable end of the parlour wing is a lower C19 2-
storey range of outhouses, with 2 doors and 2 windows at ground floor, with
brick segmental heads, all 2-light casements; at first floor a blocked
window, two 2-light casements. To end right an external stair to a loft
door. All openings have brick segmental heads and surrounds.
The left gable end has painted rubble wall. At the right side, the roof
slope has been rebuilt over the original inner room; the central range has a
covered way at ground floor, with scantle slate pitched roof on wooden piers;
plain door with blocked window. To the right, the later C17 wing has
external stack, and is rendered and lined out, with a C19 6-pane sash at
first floor. There is a C19 16-pane sash at first floor on the central
range, lighting the stair. To the left, the C16 front wing is built out
beyond the line of the main building, with hipped roof; door and 2-light
casement at ground floor, with loft door above. There is a C19 2-storey
addition to the outer side of the wing, rendered and lined out, with 2 doors,
16-pane sash and 2 plate-glass sashes at first floor. To end left, the C19
outhouse has door; this side is built into the bank. The rear of the house
has a 2-storey porch with hipped roof, with C20 casement at ground floor, C19
16-pane sash at first floor. Lower end to right has ground floor C20 12-pane
light. The rear lateral stack to the hall rises from the roof slope with
brick shaft; there is a 2-storey addition, probably of C18, built between the
porch and the wing to left; this conceals the stack at ground floor; there is
a door and 9-pane light at first floor to right. The 2-storey wing projects
to left; at inner side there is a C20 window at ground floor, C19 18-pane
sash at first floor. Rear of the wing also has C20 window at ground floor
and 18-pane sash at first floor.
Interior: This house has features of outstanding quality, particularly the
roof over the hall. The passage is wide, with a stone floor. To rear right,
early C18 straight stair, boxed in; at first floor this retains turned
balusters. There is a 2-centred arched chamfered granite doorway to the
lower end, with cushion stops and carving over the head; semi-circular
granite step down into the room. Lower end room has slate floor, 2 heavy
chamfered cross beams; recessed in party wall to passage. Fireplace with
granite jambs and cambered lintel, oven to left with cast iron door and pot
jack; copper to left of fireplace and hooks in ceiling. To the right of the
passage, the screen to the hall has been plastered over, but the original
screen may survive; at first floor level it is exposed, a plain plank and
muntin screen.
In the hall, the rear lateral fireplace has granite 2-centred arch, roll-
moulded, with recessed spandrels and cushion stops. Along the front wall is
a later C17 bench with scalloped edge and end. To the right, there is a C19
passage leading to the rear wing; this room was substantially remodelled in
the C19, with shutters to windows, but retains a plaster shield of arms, with
scrollwork and helm, with arm grasping a tree trunk with roots; painted and
dated 1652. The arms are of Scawen, Molenick, Moyle of Bake and Dandy of
Lanreath. The doorway to the front wing retains one jamb of the late C16
doorway, with convex and concave mouldings and scroll stop. C19 stair in the
former inner room.
At first floor, the chamber over the hall retains the complete roof structure
from the original building. There are 5 bays, with a decorative string
across the gable ends. Arched braces, with cambered collars, with carved
pendants below the collars, 2 rows of threaded purlins and wall plate, with
diagonal ridge purlin. All the members are carved with leaves, wheatear and
geometric designs, each one different. There is a doorway to the landing
over the passage, and the foot of the principal remains behind the door.
This roof is an extremely rare survival, and is of exceptionally high
quality.
On the landing, there is an early C18 2-panelled door to the room over the
lower end, and a similar door to the chamber over the porch.
Roof over the lower end. There is a solid wall to the left of the passage,
rising to the apex; there is a chamfered doorway to the chamber over the
lower end. One truss remains over the passage, with notched lap-jointed
collar, the collar removed, curved foot to the principals. The roof was
rebuilt over the lower end, in C18 or C19.
Roof over the upper end. This is in 3 sections, with the roof over the front
wing, roof over the original inner room and roof over the rear wing. The
front wing has roof trusses with chamfered principal rafters and cambered
collars, also chamfered with ogee stops; dovetailed lap joints and trenched
purlins. The trusses over the front wing appear to be smoke-blackened. C17
roof remaining over the rear wing, with halved principals, notched and
slightly cambered collars, mortised apex to the principals and trenched
purlins. The later trusses have halved and pegged principals. Molenick
Farmhouse is unusual, in having as well as an open hall, a later wing which
was also originally heated from an open hearth. It must have retained the
open hall until the early C18, and the features from this phase are also
interesting. This is one of the finest farmhouses in Cornwall.

Listing NGR: SX3348461183

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17529673

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

• 
  Oxfordshire: North and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Cork: City and County (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
• 
  Pevsner's Architectural Glossary (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Yorkshire West Riding: Sheffield and the South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2
• 
  Suffolk: West: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)