Dairy And Grotto

PADSTOW PRIDEAUX PLACE, Padstow SW 9075-9175 8/127 Dairy and Grotto

GV II*

Grotto and dairy. Probably early C19, contemporary with Rev. Charles Prideaux- Brune's work in the house (qv Prideaux Place). Stone rubble with large boulders and shells on the west elevation. Slate roof with hipped ends, partly covered with a tarpaulin. The roof is continued down on the east front, forming a verandah which is supported on 3 slender iron columns. Plan: 2 cell plan with an entrance to the east, partly sheltered by a shallow verandah and a grotto-like elevation to the west. Both entrances lead directly into an anteroom on the south with the dairy proper, to the north, which is oval on plan. Gothik style. Exterior: The dairy and grotto is set at right angles to the stables (qv) and forms the west end of the stable yard. Single storey. East elevation has an asymmetrical 2-window front, the roof continued over a verandah which is supported on slender iron columns. Entrance to left of centre with 2-light casement with lattice glazing bars to left and 4-centred arched window opening to right with stanchions and lattice glazing bars. The west elevation which opens onto the now much overgrown pleasure gardens, resembles a grotto, the west wall faced with large boulders and decorated with shells and a central plaster medallion. There are 2 round arched doorway openings leading into the anteroom and to the dairy. Interior: Anteroom has the remains of a coved plaster ceiling which has partly collapsed. A stove was probably used to scald the cream. The dairy is oval in plan with curved slate tables, arranged around the edge, supported on Gothik 4-centred arches and legs decorated with cusped blind tracery and the spandrels with incised quatrefoils. The tops of the tables have shallow drainage channels which form a decorative pattern. The chamber is lit by 2 windows on the north and east with 4- centred arched openings and miniature bucrania carved as stops to the inner labels. Remains of painted glass to the north window. Although in a poor state of repair, the dairy retains much of its original Gothick plasterwork and is a particularly delightful example of its type, epitomizing the ideals of the Picturesque Movement of the mid and late C18. Kelly, Francis. HBMC report. Prideaux Place, Padstow,

Listing NGR: SW9137575572