The Vicarage

The Vicarage is an 18th-century vicarage, likely with an earlier core, and remodelled around the early and later 19th century. It is constructed of shale rubble and cob walls, partially slate-hung to the south-east side, with slate sills and wooden lintels. The roofs are of scantle slate with gable ends, and brick chimneys rise above some gable ends and one cross wall. The building has an irregular plan that evolved over time; the circa mid-18th century front range to the southwest contains two reception rooms of equal size, flanking a central cross passage. A shallow service room is situated beneath the integral outshut behind the left-hand room, and a stair sits behind the right-hand room, connecting to a range at a right angle, which was heightened in the 18th century and retained as a service wing. Additional service ranges were added parallel to an adjoining rear outshut, extended to the left, and finally at a right angle to the rear left. The symmetrical southwest front has three windows, with a central doorway. Original hornless 16-pane sashes are present on the first floor, and circa early 20th-century French windows on the ground floor. It has chamfered and stopped wooden lintels, and slightly projecting boxed eaves. A barred window is visible on the south-east front, leading to the coal cellar below the stair. The interior retains some good quality 18th-century details, including a staircase with column turned balusters, field panelling, and completely panelled walls within the left-hand room, featuring a moulded wooden cornice and two-panel doors, some with HL hinges. The vicarage was the residence of Richard Polwhele, a historian, writer, and poet, when he served as Rector between 1794 and 1821. He also held the position of Justice of the Peace. A notable incident occurred when Polwhele had Captain Bligh mistakenly arrested for spying during survey work on the Helford River, initially imprisoning him in a small room in the vicarage before they later became friends.