Cotehele House

Cotehele House is a country house probably originating around 1300, with alterations in the early 15th century. The main phases of building were undertaken by Sir Richard Edgcumbe from 1485 to 1489 and his son, Sir Piers Edgcumbe, from 1489 to 1520. Some intermediate alterations occurred, and the north west tower was added in 1627. Internal alterations were made in the early and late 18th century. The east range was remodelled in 1862 as accommodation for a widowed Countess of Mount Edgcumbe. Few later alterations have been made. The house is constructed of slatestone rubble with granite ashlar and granite dressings, and has slate roofs with ridge tiles and gable ends. Most stacks have ashlar shafts with cornices and shaped tops.

Plan Development

The original plan of the building is uncertain. It has been suggested that the west range of the hall courtyard follows the lines of the original building, with the west passage entrance as the original front. It seems more likely that the main hall forms the core of the original building. This was an open hall, heated from an open hearth, with a passage at the lower right end and an inner room at the upper left end. At the south front of the hall, the masonry is continuous at ground floor level from the hall to the Old Dining Room to left, the site of an inner room. There are two doorways at the right end of the hall which may have led to the passage, now a lobby; this was formerly an open doorway at the east end, possibly originally a doorway to a lower end room. A licence was issued for a chapel at Cotehele in 1411; this may have been on the site of the present chapel, attached at the higher end of the inner room and aligned east to west.

The major alterations began around 1485. The hall was raised in height in courses of granite ashlar, with three upper windows and a large doorway set off-centre to right; a rear lateral stack was inserted. Probably at the same time, the east range and the south range of the hall courtyard were built, with a gateway in the south range directly facing the new entrance to the hall. The east range of the courtyard would block the entrance to the passage, and a rear kitchen range was built to right. The kitchen range has a main fireplace in the inner side (west), with a stack similar to the hall's rear lateral stack, in granite ashlar. Possibly later in the 16th century, a second stack was added at the north end of the kitchen for fireplace and ovens. If there were a lower end room, it would probably have been demolished by around 1550, by which time the courtyard would have been completed.

The second major phase of rebuilding was probably under Sir Piers Edgcumbe, who held Cotehele from 1489 to 1520. The inner room was rebuilt as a rear wing extending to north; this has a continuous roof with arched-braces and wind braces, as in the hall, but the upper chamber, probably built as one room, was heated from a stack at the inner side. The two rooms at ground floor, known as the Punch Room to north and the Old Dining Room to south, each have a fireplace on the east side. The front gable end of this wing was given a large window at ground and first floor, and a window of the same design was inserted at the dais end of the main hall. Internally, the jambs of this window do not fit the opening; the earlier window was probably smaller.

At the same time, the chapel was probably remodelled with a Perpendicular window at the east end and a bellcote added to west; the west range of the courtyard was also probably rebuilt. This appears to be a building which is self-contained, possibly for a priest's accommodation. At ground floor there are two rooms, each heated from a gable end stack, with an open through passage between them with an archway which retains the earlier form of imposts. At first floor there are three rooms, the outer rooms heated from the gable end stacks and the central room from a lateral stack rising above the passage doorway on the courtyard side. At the south end of this range there is a small linking block which joins to the south range of the courtyard. This is of one-room plan, heated from a stack on the outer (west) side; it may represent the remains of an early courtyard building or have been constructed to close the courtyard in the late 15th to early 16th century.

Probably at the same time, the gatehouse was remodelled. This appears to have been built in three phases. At first, the gateway would have been within the south courtyard range, the slatestone rubble masonry being continuous on both the inner and outer sides. The second phase involved the rebuilding of the gatehouse for its first stage in granite ashlar, up to the height of the two-storey range to each side. Later it was raised in height to its present two stages with embattled parapet. At each stage there is a string course, but the mouldings are different at each stage.

Probably later in the 16th century, a further range of preparation rooms was added to the north of the kitchen wing; this encloses the kitchen courtyard. This stage appears to be in two phases, with one range of two-room plan to west heated from an axial stack and a gable end stack to west, both with cornices and shaped tops. There is a lower range to east with a rear lateral stack.

In 1627 the north west tower was constructed. This incorporates part of the rear of the rear wing; the masonry of the rear wing is continuous through to the base of the tower, and the quoins remain marking the original rear wall of the wing; the plinth of the tower is built up to the quoins. This tower was built as a status building, not defensible. There was originally one room on each floor—ground, first and second—all heated from the stack at the east side of the tower, concealed within the embattled parapet. The ground floor room of the tower is known as the White Room. The first floor room is known as the Old Drawing Room. At second floor the room has been partitioned, probably an original division; this has Queen Anne's Room, a small unheated room, and King Charles' Room, a larger heated room with a fireplace to east. The fireplaces in the tower have basket arches and roll-mouldings.

The house was partially remodelled around the late 17th to early 18th century, with moulded plaster cornices in the Punch Room and Old Dining Room (ground floor of the rear wing) and above, where the rooms are known as the Red Room and the South Room. The wing may originally have had a garderobe at the north west corner; this has been altered as a cellar in the Punch Room.

In 1862 the east range of the hall courtyard was remodelled as accommodation for the widowed Countess of Mount Edgcumbe, with service accommodation to north east dated 1862 on the porch. The east front was given a two-storey porch, and there is a projection to right of the porch which may originally have been a lateral stack heating the courtyard room or a garderobe. The east end of the hall range was also rebuilt, with the service accommodation to north east on the outer side of the kitchen wing.

The courtyard ranges to east, south and west are now in separate accommodation, as is the 19th-century service block to north east. Retainers' Court, to south west of Cotehele House, is listed as a separate item.

Exterior

The hall range is in slatestone rubble with courses of granite ashlar below the eaves. Off-centre to right is a doorway with four-centred arch and shield in tympanum, with roll-mouldings, segmental arch and hood mould; three two-light windows above with ogee lights and roll-mouldings. Large mullion and transom window at the dais end to left in same style as the windows to the upper end wing to left. The east gable end of the hall range was remodelled in 1862; two windows at each floor, all with rounded arched lights. The window at ground floor to right was formerly a doorway, perhaps the doorway from the passage to the former lower end. The rear of the hall has two upper two-light windows with ogee heads; rear lateral stack in granite ashlar.

The east range of the courtyard is two storeys with two four-centred arched doorways on the inner side, both with four-centred arched heads and hood moulds; all windows have four-centred arched lights. The range is heated from an axial stack to north and gable end stack to south, both with cornices and shaped tops; the outer side has a lateral stack to left of 19th century and a projection to right which may be the remains of a lateral stack or garderobe. 19th-century two-storey porch tower, gabled with gable end stacks; two dormers to right.

The south range of the courtyard and gate tower: on the outer side, the gate tower is in two stages with slatestone rubble at the base, upper level and second stage in granite ashlar; string courses with different mouldings at each stage and embattled parapet. Ground floor has four-centred arched doorway with studded door, shield in tympanum and hood mould; lancets at each stage. To right of the tower there are two stepped lancets at the site of the stair. To the left, a two-storey two-room plan range with similar lancets, each room heated from a lateral stack with rubble shaft, shaped top and cornice. The inner side of the tower has three-light window with four-centred arched lights at each stage; tall four-centred arched gateway with imposts; four bays of granite vault inside.

The west range of the courtyard is in two builds; to the south is a small one-room plan infill heated from an external lateral stack, with gable end to south. The main range appears to be self-contained accommodation of two-room plan at ground floor, each room heated from a gable end stack and with an open through passage. Central room of first floor heated from a lateral stack above the passage on the inner side. Doorway on the inner side with four-centred arch and impost mouldings; on the outer side a different four-centred arched doorway with recessed spandrels and hood mould. On the inner side the first floor has two three-light windows with ogee heads; ground floor has doorway to right and left and three-light window to left with four-centred arched lights; stepped lancets to right. The outer side has single lights.

The chapel: the east gable end faces into the courtyard. This has raised coped verges and finial; three-light Perpendicular window with cusped lights, four-centred arch and hood mould. Straight joint to the courtyard range. The west gable end has single light at ground floor; raised coped verges and a bellcote in granite with pinnacles. The south side of the chapel has four-centred arched doorway with roll-mouldings and upper two-light window with four-centred arched lights and roll-mouldings and hood moulds. North side has no windows, buttress to right.

The upper end wing has a gable end with raised coped verges facing south into the courtyard. Two storeys with slatestone rubble at ground floor and the upper storey in granite ashlar. Two three-light windows at ground and first floor with ogee lights, king mullion and hood moulds. At the west side there are two buttresses and a stair tower adjoining the chapel. Varied windows at ground and first floor. Bay to left incorporated in the north west tower, with the quoins remaining.

The north west tower: three-stage tower in slatestone rubble with granite dressings and quoins; embattled parapet in ashlar with cable-moulded string course; string courses and plinth. All windows have segmental-head lights. Main window at each floor to west and north with mullion and transom. Heated from external stack to east.

The north ranges: these are service rooms enclosing the kitchen courtyard, much remodelled in 19th century. There is one range adjoining the tower and a lower two-storey range to east. Varied windows and 19th-century gabled dormers.

Interior

The main hall has roof with four tiers of wind braces, with arched-braces and collars; the roof over the upper end wing is continuous, of the same construction as the main hall, and not smoke-blackened. The wing would have been floored originally and probably open to roof at first floor; this range was remodelled and ceiled probably in the late 17th century with moulded plaster cornices, the granite fireplace remaining from the first build. The chapel has a wagon roof with moulded ribs, carved wall-plate and bosses.

The tower rooms retain original internal features, such as the ceiling in the White Room, the lowest room in the tower, with thin wooden ribs dividing the ceiling into polygonal panels. In the Old Drawing Room is an internal porch with linenfold panels and fine door with carved rosettes on the panels. The fireplaces in the tower are all granite with roll-mouldings and basket arches; the two rooms on the top floor both have studded doors in moulded frames also with a basket arch.

Sources: Trinick, M.: Cotehele House 1984. Hussey, C.: Country Life, 10 June 1905; 30 August 1924 and 6 September 1924.