The Ship Inn

THE SHIP INN

The Ship Inn, situated on Trafalgar Square in Fowey, is a Grade II* listed building of considerable architectural and historical importance. Originally a merchant's house that later became a public house, it probably dates from the 15th century, with a reputed association with John Rashleigh in 1578. The building was extended during the 17th century and again in the 19th century.

The structure is constructed of killas rubble to part of the ground floor, with Pentewan stone and freestone used for original dressings; the remainder is stuccoed or rendered. The building presents three gable ends facing the Square, each with different roofing materials and periods: the earliest part on the left has a steep scantle slate roof; the 17th-century wing in the centre is covered with steep dry Oelabole slate; and the low-pitched roof of the 19th-century range on the right is covered with corrugated asbestos. Brick end stacks are located to the rear and to the 19th-century range, with another stack over the rear wall of a dated chamber and a further one to the left of the 17th-century range.

The building occupies an irregular corner site with a complex plan. The earliest part, positioned at an angle on the left, was formerly joined via a first-floor passage to No 1 Lostwithiel Street, but this was removed in the 20th century to permit taller vehicles to pass. The 17th-century wing occupies the centre with a 17th-century stair hall behind it, while a substantial mid-to-late 19th-century range extends to the right with its frontage facing the right-hand return.

The exterior presents three storeys to both the early part and the 19th-century part, with second floors partly set within the roof space, whilst the 17th-century section rises to only two storeys. The disposition of elevations and openings across the gable ends is notably irregular. The first floor of the left-hand return contains an original two-light mullioned window with cinquefoil-headed lights enclosing an inner 17th-century ovolo-moulded frame, both with leaded glass; the ground floor has a wider two-light 20th-century window. The gable end of the early part displays a late 19th-century four-pane sash under the apex of an unequal gable, with a similar but taller sash window to the true centre and a 20th-century window at ground-floor level towards the right.

A tapered-plan link building connects the earliest part to the 17th-century range, which has moulded hoods over a pair of two-light wooden mullioned windows with 20th-century casements and a ground floor with a moulded hood over a wide four-light moulded mullioned window and doorway to its right. Immediately to the right stands the two-bay-wide gable end of the 19th-century wing, featuring a frieze of ogee arches returned from the front eaves, with the right-hand bay flanked by giant pilasters over pilasters linked by a moulded entablature. A moulded string runs above the transomed three-light first-floor window with good coloured glass; late 19th-century horned sashes appear above and below, and to the first floor left of centre and second floor far left. The right-hand two-window-range return front displays similar pilasters and strings, with the first-floor string forming the heads of late 19th-century tripartite horned sashes framed by open segmental pediments and flanking pilasters with moulded bases; small horned sashes above feature moulded buttressed architraves rising from the pediment hoods. At first-floor centre is a pilastered and segmental-arched panel containing a painted inn sign. The ground floor has a central 20th-century shop window and flanking pilastered doorways with overlights and 20th-century doors.

The interior contains exceptional features of high quality. The first floor of the left-hand wing houses a fine panelled room featuring a 16th- or early 17th-century Renaissance chimneypiece with flanking caryatids bearing Ionic capitals that support a pedimented overmantle with Ionic pilasters and three carved panels; the large centre panel contains a bust presumed to represent John Rashleigh. The wall panelling, executed in oak, comprises small moulded panels. The stair hall contains a fine 17th-century open-well oak staircase with closed string, heavy twist and turned splat balusters, and ball finials over the newels. A late 17th-century chamber features a plaster barrel ceiling with moulded cornices that break forward around the feet of the trusses; the ends of the barrel are moulded as pediments, each containing a panel with tree carving. Below the inner pediment, the wall is panelled with large moulded panels, and the left-hand side wall contains a bolection-moulded chimneypiece. Other old features are visible, including some period door frames.

The roof structures were not inspected but are likely to be original; those over the earlier parts may be of considerable historical interest. This is a complex building possessing very important surviving features that merits thorough investigation and recording.