Description

PLYMOUTH

SX55NW BORINGDON HILL, Plympton, Boringdon
740-1/6/531 Boringdon Hall
20/02/52
(Formerly Listed as:
BORINGDON HILL, Plympton
Boringdon House)

GV I

Great house. Medieval origins, the present structure
predominantly C17 but containing some C16 detail, and,
following a period of neglect, partly rebuilt late C20.
MATERIALS: coursed rubble walls to principal elevations,
otherwise rubble, all with granite dressings; some
slatehanging above hall; steep dry slate gabled roofs
including pyramidal roof to entrance tower; embattled parapets
with beaded cornices to part of front roof; moulded parapet
entablature to tower left of front; coped gables and dressed
stone lateral stacks, some of which are outbuilt, and corner
stacks to entrance tower, all with moulded cornices.
PLAN: large irregular plan probably with E-shaped front in the
C17 but mostly rebuilt to right of central entrance tower;
small stair wing at rear of passage; large hall left of
entrance and large later C17 stair tower projecting to front
left; fairly deep wing with hipped roof at far left.
EXTERIOR: tall 2-bay hall with 2 squat storeys above and
flanking 4-storey towers; large stair tower left of this and
partly rebuilt 4-window-range wing at far right, now 2
storeys, originally taller. Mullioned windows with leaded
glass, the principal windows with square hoodmoulds and the
very large 4-light hall windows with 2 tiers of transoms.
Entrance tower has very fine moulded round-arched doorway
within outer order with carved arch on Tuscan nook columns
flanked by projecting piers with moulded and carved
entablature and containing shell niches with carved lions.
Range on right contains 2 reused round-arched doorways and a
large reused 4-light mullioned window.
Left-hand return has 3-storey projecting gable end of main
range on its right with 6-light mullioned window with 2 king
mullions to ground floor and 4-light windows above, all with
arched lights. 2-window-range stair tower set back on right
has windows at mid-floor level on its right and doorway with
relieving arch on its left. Set back on the left are 2 bays
with 3-light windows and surmounted by a shaped parapet. At
far left is narrow, slightly projecting blind gable with
blocked openings which had been made to communicate with later

wing now removed.
Rear is unaltered to upper floors but the lower floors are
hidden by a C20 lean-to.
INTERIOR: retains some good features of interest despite a
long period of neglect prior to its repair and restoration,
these include: C16 4-centred arched doorway with hoodmould
into hall from passage; massive hall chimneypiece dated 1640
and with initials C R, with strapwork and Royal Arms flanked
by caryatids of Peace and Plenty, and there is a ribbed
plaster ceiling with trailing detail and moulded cornices
between ceiling beams with richly carved plaster detail. The
staircases are restored but incorporate some original C17 oak
fragments from the original staircases. There are several
other good moulded and carved stone doorways and some stone
fireplaces, at least one with richly carved detail.
HISTORY: the house was acquired by the Parkers in 1582 from
the Duke of Suffolk, father of Lady Jane Grey. The Parkers
went to live at Saltram, Merafield Road (qv) in the mid C18.
(The Buildings of England: Pevsner N: Devon: London: 1989-;
Country Life: 20/06/1914).

Listing NGR: SX5393157780

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Boringdon Hall at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q4945152

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

• 
  England's Post-War Listed Buildings
• 
  Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius (Penguin Art & Architecture)
• 
  ENGLAND GUIDE TO POST WAR LISTED: A Guide to Post-war Listed Buildings
• 
  Cork: City and County (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
• 
  Sussex: East with Brighton and Hove (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Period Property Manual (New Ed)