Nansidwell

Nansidwell is a country house dating from circa 1905, designed by Leonard Stokes for Sir Sidney Bowlatt. It is constructed of killas rubble with granite dressings, featuring steep dry Delabole slate gabled roofs. Large stone axial stacks are positioned over the cross wall, and the projecting eaves have exposed rafter ends. The building’s plan is an overall U-shape, comprising four large rooms along a garden front range under a single roof. There is a large, heated hall in a wing set at a right angle behind the left-hand side, with another room beyond. An entrance porch is situated in the angle to the left of this wing, and a similar but lower service wing extends behind the right-hand side. Two smaller cross wings, aligned with canted bays at the front, are positioned between the front rooms of the rear wings, incorporating a large stair hall. A flat-roofed single-storey service range sits behind the stair hall and is linked to the front of the rear wings.

The south east garden front has a regular 1:1:1:2 bay arrangement, with no doorways. It includes a plinth, and mullioned windows with flat mullions, leaded lights, and transoms to the ground floor. The left-hand bay features a six-light window, while the second and third bays have canted bay windows with tented leaded roofs and gables over, to both the ground and first floors. The right-hand bays have two-light windows. The south west entrance front showcases the gable end of the garden front range on the right, with a four-light window to the ground floor and a three-light window above. Set back to the left is the 1:1 bay side wall of the principal wing, featuring two-light windows to the hall bay. In the angle between the two ranges is an entrance porch with a round-headed doorway. Original doors and windows remain. Rear courtyard-facing windows are wooden casements with thick glazing bars.

The interior, where inspected, is virtually complete and unaltered. Features are in a style reminiscent of the early 18th century, including an open-well open-string staircase with turned balusters, moulded ceiling cornices (both wooden and plaster), panelled doors and architraves, eared chimney-pieces with pulvinated friezes, and numerous individual details like a built-in settle in the stair hall. The hall chimney-piece is recessed within a large ingle-nook with seats on either side. The floors are oak.